It happened a little like this (Marauders, eventual Jily and Wolfstar)
by greywolfanimagus
Summary: Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter never expected to become friends so quickly. Azalia never thought anyone would keep her secret so readily. They're in for the surprise of their young lives.
1. Chapter 1

I watched the boy (eleven years, auburn hair streaked with grey, amber eyes, sort of short) board the train, his nose stuck in a book. I smiled, boarding the Hogwarts Express myself.

Looking through the glass into the compartments, I saw all of them were full, except for one.

I knocked on the door. "Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

He smiled, looking up from his book. "Remus Lupin."

I took his hand. "Azalia Baines."

He nodded, returning to his book.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

Remus looked up from his book. "A Lycanthrope's Guide to Werewolves."

I nodded thoughtfully. "You're reading that because you were bitten correct?"

His eyes took on the appearance of a cornered animal's. "Please don't tell anyone."

I reached over to squeeze his hand. "Don't worry. My cousin was bitten. She killed herself during her first transformation, though."

Remus's eyes were glued to the book.

I sighed. "I learned about werewolves, and I know that they wouldn't harm animals, only humans." I had an idea. "Hey, since I'm keeping your furry little problem a secret, can you keep mine?"

Suddenly interested, Remus looked at me. "Oh?"

"I'm an animagus. Grey wolf."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! I'll keep your secret."

"If you want, I can accompany your transformations. It may reduce your injuries at the very least."

He smiled. "I'd like that very much."

Our conversation was interrupted by three boys, one with messy black hair and hazel eyes, one with grey eyes and shoulder-length black hair, and a pudgy one with blond hair and light blue eyes, who walked into our compartment. The hazel-eyed one stuck out his hand. "James Potter."

"Remus Lupin," Remus replied timidly.

"Peter Pettigrew," the pudgy one said.

The last boy looked at me curiously. "Sirius Black," he said, extending his hand to Remus, then me.

James finally caught sight of me. "Oi, sod off, girl."

My wand was poking into his throat almost immediately. "First, I have a name. And second, if you'd like to have your bits intact when we reach Hogwarts, I suggest you don't talk to me like that." I stood up. "Nice meeting you, Sirius, Remus, But I have to go."

James let out a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the compartment.

I whirled around, my wand back at his throat. I didn't even stop to think as I fired a jinx at the boy's face, turning it a vibrant pink, his hair green, and adding a hideous puke-orange bow into his newly green hair. "Be seeing you."

Remus yelped, trying to undo the jinx.

As I left, I heard Sirius saying to Remus, "Welcome to the Marauders."

"Baines, Azalia," Professor McGonagall called.

I sat down on the stool, watching the hat get lowered onto my head.

 _Daughter of a Shafiq, already hexed Potter,_ the hat chuckled. _You could do well in Gryffindor. Or Slytherin. But your loyalty to Mr. Lupin when you barely know him could land you in Hufflepuff. Of course, your intelligence rivals that of a Ravenclaw's…_

 _Slytherin,_ I thought. _Please Slytherin._

 _Slytherin, eh?_ The hat's tone changed. _The Dark Lord comes from that house, you know._

 _I want to bring them into the light,_ I insisted.

 _Very well,_ the hat sighed. _Better be…_ "SLYTHERIN!"

The hall was silent as I walked to the Slytherin table.

"Black, Sirius," McGonagall called.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A girl with black hair snarled, "Traitor!" Other than that, the hall was silent.

"Bones, Amelia."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Evans, Lily." A red-haired girl stood up and walked to the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A boy with black hair looked after her sadly.

A few names later, "Lupin, Remus."

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius could be heard over the cheers.

"Quirrel, Quirinus."

"RAVENCLAW!"

A few names after that, "Pettigrew, Peter."

Peter took longer than everyone. _Hatstall,_ I realized.

Finally, the hat said, "Gryffindor."

Uncertainty settled at the bottom of my stomach. The hat sounded unsure.

"Potter, James."

James strutted up to the stool. The hat barely touched his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Now the boy with the black hair was scowling.

"Snape, Severus." The black-haired boy stood up nervously.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Severus sat down next to me.

Professor Dumbledore stood. "Let me say a few words. Tweak," laughter. "SILENCE!"

Everyone shut up.

"Let the feast begin."

Severus and I pushed food around our plate. Finally, I said, "Azalia."

He looked up. "Severus."

"So what's the deal with you and Evans?" I asked.

Severus stiffened. "We're friends. Her sister began making fun of her when Lily got accepted into Hogwarts, so I keep her company."

"How's that going to work now that you're in different houses?"

"I could ask the same for you and Lupin," he said.

I shrugged. "I guess we'll find our ways, eh, Severus?"

He smiled. "I suppose so."

 **Hi!**

 **So yeah, I don't own Harry Potter (Shame, right?). I don't claim to.**

 **And I just wrote this for the personal enjoyment of fans.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Good day, class," the professor, Professor Raven, said. "I know it's the first day of classes, but this is a very involved class and I expect you to give it your all, so we're starting practicality lessons today."

I looked over at Azalia enthusiastically. She smiled back.

"We're learning about werewolves," Professor Raven said.

Azalia's smile faltered.

"Who can tell me about werewolves?"

I bit my lip before raising my hand. "Professor?"

"Yes, Mr…"

"Lupin, Professor." I swallowed. "A werewolf is a human being who, upon the complete rising of the full moon, becomes a fearsome and deadly near-wolf. This condition is caused by infection with lycanthropy, also known as werewolfry. Werewolves appear in the form of a wolf but, there are distinctions between them and regular wolves."

"Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor." Raven smiled. "Who can tell me what those distinctions are?"

Both mine and Azalia's hands shot up.

"Ms…"

"Baines, Professor. Werewolves can be easily distinguished from regular wolves by their shorter snout, more human-like eyes, the tufted tail, and their mindless hunting of humans whilst in wolf form. At all other times, they appear as normal humans, although they will age prematurely, and will gain a pallor as the moon approaches and then wanes. The real difference between a wolf and a werewolf is in behavior. Genuine wolves are not very aggressive, and the vast number of folk tales representing them as mindless predators are now believed by wizarding authorities to refer to werewolves, not true wolves. A wolf is unlikely to attack a human except under exceptional circumstances. The werewolf, however, targets humans almost exclusively and poses very little danger to any other creature," Azalia said, not pausing to take a breath.

"Ten points to Slytherin." Raven nodded. "Who can tell me how one becomes a werewolf?"

I flinched, but raised my hand.

"Mr. Lupin."

"To become a werewolf, it is necessary to be bitten by a werewolf in their wolfish form at the time of the full moon."

"Five points to Gryffindor."

I grimaced. _Don't ask about werewolf-induced injuries._

"Who can tell me about werewolf-induced injuries?"

I began shaking.

"Professor!" I heard Azalia shout. "He needs to go to the Hospital Wing!"

Professor Raven stared, finally shaking herself off and nodding. "Do you want to take him?"

Azalia nodded, helping me up. "Don't worry, Rem. Nobody knows. They think you're just scared of werewolves."

"How do you know that?"

She smiled faintly. "Legilimens," she explained. "I'm not experienced enough to turn it off."

"I'll make sure to think harmless stuff, then," I tried weakly.

"That's the thing," she frowned. "I think werewolves are natural Occlumens. I can't read you."

I exhaled. "Can you take me to the Wing?"

"Right." Azalia supported me. "Actually, I think you should go to your dorm."

I stared at her. "No!"

She smiled. "Feeling better, Moony?"

"Moony?"

"Werewolf? Moon? Moony?"

"Whatever." I smiled. "Yes, I'm feeling better."

"Oi, Remus!" I heard Sirius call. "You okay?"

"Fine, Sirius," I said back. "Why do you ask?"

"Checking on my fellow Marauder."

"Actually, he's feeling much better," Azalia said. "I think he can go back to class."

I stopped supporting myself. "Thanks, Azalia."

Sirius smiled at me. "See you in class Remus. I want to talk to Baines about something."

When he thought I was out of earshot, he said, "What happened?"

"He overreacted when Professor Raven asked who could tell her about werewolf-induced injuries," she said. "Nothing special."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Sure."

I had it. I walked back to class.

"Mr. Lupin!" Professor Raven exclaimed. "I thought you were going to the Hospital Wing?"

I smiled weakly. "I think I just overreacted when you asked about werewolf-induced injuries and effects. Has anyone answered yet?"

"Not correctly. Perhaps you could give us the answer?"

Azalia walked into the classroom, followed by Sirius, sporting a black eye.

I looked at her, thinking intensely, _werewolf-induced injuries on three. One… two… three!_

"Lycanthropy is a magical illness known to be spread by contact between saliva and blood; thus, when a transformed werewolf bites a human, the bitten will become a werewolf themselves. Most Muggles, however, will die from the extent of their injuries in the instance of a werewolf attack as noted by Professor Marlowe Forfang. If a werewolf is in human form and bites the victim, they will merely gain lupine tendencies such as a fondness for rare meat. Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf, whether in human or animal form, will leave permanent scars. However, the fresh wound can be sealed with a mixture of powdered silver and dittany," she and I said in unison.

"Excellent!" Professor Raven said. "Ten points to Gryffindor and Slytherin!"

I smiled at Azalia.

"Homework is to make a presentation or essay about werewolves. It must include what Mr. Lupin and Ms. Baines spoke about today, what happens should two werewolves mate at a full moon, passing on lycanthropy, a description of a monthly transformation, and anything else you want to add. The presentation will be worked on in class over the next week, but I would highly recommend working on it out of class."

I looked at Azalia. "Partners?"

She nodded. "Gladly." Her voice lowered in volume. "Why would I give up the chance to work with the person who knows as much about werewolves as I do, and not from studying, but from personal experience?"

My ears reddened. "Don't talk about that!" I hissed. "What if someone heard?"

She shrugged. "Fine. What kind of project do you want to do?"

I grinned. "We could do, like, a documentary video on werewolves. The full moon's in two days, so we could use me as the werewolf in the video…"

"We'd have to get a camera harness," she said. "I wouldn't be able to film otherwise. You'd tear me up into pieces."

"True…" I muttered. "Back to square one."

"Not necessarily," Azalia said. "We could do that CGI thing."

I perked up immediately. "Magically, you mean? To make it more realistic?"

"Do one of those immersive visions," she agreed.

I pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. "Right. Start from the beginning. I think we have a plan."

 **Hi again.**

 **Nothing's changed.**

 **I don't claim to have ownership of the Harry Potter franchise, and I don't**


	3. Chapter 3

I was going to ask Remus to be my partner until he partnered up with that Slytherin girl.

James tapped me on the shoulder. "Sirius?"

"Yes?" I asked, distracted.

"Partners?" the messy-haired boy asked.

I nodded. "Sure, James."

After ten minutes, we had gotten nowhere.

"Oi, mate, why are you so focused on Remus?" James asked, irritated.

"I'm worried," I said.

"About him?" James laughed. "He could probably beat the crap out of us and not even break into a sweat."

"My family's Slytherin, James. You've seen how they treat _me."_

"Baines seems nice to our boy."

"Seems."

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said.

 _And I'm sure it's not nothing,_ I replied mentally.

Baines looked at me, surprised.

 _Bloody hell,_ I realized. _She's a Legilimens._

She nodded at me.

My palms began sweating. _She knows what I'm thinking._

She smiled, nodded, and went back to working with Remus.

"Bloody hell, mate, why are you hanging out with her?" I yelped after class.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Remus, asked, confused.

"She's a Slytherin! Plus, she reminds me of Bellatrix."

"Your maniac cousin?" Remus snorted. "Thanks for worrying, Sirius, but I can take care of myself."

"Hey, Moony!" I heard Baines call. "Wait up!"

 _Moony?_

The girl walked up behind me. "I wanted to know about the plans for out-of-class in two days. You know, full moon? Best time to catch a werewolf on video."

"You're absolutely mental," I snapped. "I'm not letting you take Remus on a suicide mission for homework!"

"The plan's on," Remus said casually.

I stared at him, then shook my head and turned to the dorm.

"Hey, Sirius?" Remus asked quietly.

"Yes?" I grumbled through my pillow.

"I wanted to talk about today."

 _"Yes?"_ I said, trying to emphasize my unwillingness to talk.

"Did you wonder, even a little bit, why I know so much about werewolves?"


	4. Chapter 4

I sighed. "Remus, are you sure you want me to go with you tonight?"

The boy nodded fiercely. "Meet me by the Whomping Willow at nine-thirty."

I grimaced. "Okay."

"Ready?" Remus asked.

"For what?"

Remus nodded to a knot in the tree's trunk. "You need to nose that to freeze the tree."

I changed, briefly wincing at the small flash of pain, then leaped between the branches. Nosing the knot, I gave a quiet bark to symbol that he could go."

Remus walked to my side and kneeled by the roots, opening a door. "Thanks for doing this, Azalia."

I whuffed.

The Gryffindor led me through a dark hallway to a room. "You can change back for a moment," he said. "The moon's full in ten minutes."

I decided to do as he said. "I have the stuff," I said. "But what do you want me to do?"

"Make sure I don't kill myself, mostly," he said, trying to keep his tone light and failing. "If you see me trying to scratch myself, howl."

I nodded. "Will do."

We spent the remaining time talking about Sirius, James, Peter, James's obsession with Evans, and Sirius's 'brilliant' prank on the Slytherins.

"You know," I said, "if you convince Sirius to keep me out of the prank, I know how to increase the potency."

"How?" he asked, sort of bored. "I'm sure he would want to know."

"I'll tell you after the transformation is over," I said. "I need to change now."

The transformation looked- and sounded- painful. Remus began shaking, then there was a snarl. Remus's head was lengthening. So

was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.

Remus began clawing at his chest. I howled, drawing his attention away from hurting himself to me.

The werewolf advanced toward me, snarling. I snarled back. _Calm, Moony,_ I told him. _Calm down._

 _Moony Alpha!_

If he was Alpha, he would hurt both of us. _No. Lupa Alpha._ I was Lupa now. Not Azalia. Lupa. I had to remember that. _Lupa Alpha._

He lunged at me, catching my hind leg in his jaws and biting down. _Moony Alpha,_ he repeated.

I shook him off, throwing him into a wall. He yelped as I advanced menacingly toward him. He tried to scramble away, but I backed him into a corner. _Lupa. Alpha._

When he didn't repeat, I growled, forcing him onto his back, and positioning my jaws over his throat. _Lupa. Alpha._

His eyes displayed fear as he bowed his head in submission. _Lupa Alpha._

 **Hey! If you're reading this, thanks for sticking with me in my first fanfic attempt.**

 **For those of you who aren't reading this, to paraphrase Alcatraz Smedry, I can insult you all I want, but where's the fun in that?**


	5. Chapter 5

"Mr. Lupin? _Mr. Lupin!"_ I heard, running past the Hospital Wing door.

"She's set on checking you over, mate," Azalia said. "Better go." She pushed me gently in the direction of the door.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Since you asked so nicely."

She smiled. "Don't worry. I'm registered, so I don't have to worry about anyone outing me as an Animagus. If Pomfrey asks why you don't have so many new scars, we can tell her the truth."

I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. "That's a relief."

"Mr. Lupin, are you aware that the state of your scars is no worse than it was before the full moon?" Madam Pomfrey said, stopping her inspection of my bare chest and back.

"I am aware," I grumbled. "And I suppose you want to know why?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

Azalia sent me a look as if to say, _I've got this._ "Madam Pomfrey, you may not be aware, but if accompanied by an animal- _or_ an Animagus, the amount of scars inflicted by a werewolf drastically decrease. I happen to be a grey wolf Animagus. I accompanied Remus on yesterday's transformation. You see the results," she said, gesturing to me.

"I do see." Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Would you bother telling me what happened last night?"

Azalia muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'No,' but she said, "I went with him, I changed, I made sure he didn't kill himself, I became the Alpha of our little pack. Nothing to it." Her tone said, _No questions._

I faintly heard Sirius walk into the Wing, followed by James and Peter. "Hey, Remus," Sirius said. "Heard rumors that you were in the Ho- oh, God, what happened?" He looked at my chest (I felt myself blushing), then glared at Azalia. "Does this have to do with the project from last night?"

I smirked. "Quite, Siri. Quite."

My friend frowned. "Siri? _Really,_ Rem- _Siri?"_

"Moony, give it a break," Azalia chuckled. "Siri sounds like the name of a robot or something."

"You're right, I suppose." She was.

"What's a 'robot?'" James asked, confused.

"Muggle machine," I said, trying to explain. "It can move- oh, you know what? Look it up."

"What happened?" Sirius asked, gesturing back to my scars."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to talk about it," I admitted, grabbing my shirt off the nearby bed.

Azalia smiled. "See you around, Moony. Try not to panic at the mentions of induced injuries."

"I'll try," I called to her retreating figure. "Oh, and could you start on the video enhancement?"

"Of course," she said, without turning.

Sirius nodded to me politely. "I need to go get ready for Transfiguration. You know how Minnie is about us being late."

"That's _Professor McGonagall_ to you," I said playfully as he left.

Somehow, I had the feeling he was going to question Azalia.


	6. Chapter 6

"Baines!" I heard someone call from behind me.

"Black," I said, not turning around. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to go to transfiguration."

"Funny. That's where I'm going too." _Now all I need to do is ask her why Remus was shirtless- not that I'm complaining or anything, but..._

I grinned. "Leave me alone and I'll keep it a secret that you find Moony attractive."

"Why do you call him Moony?"

"Not your business," I said, fingering my wand. "Go away. I'll tell you if Moony says I can."

"Fine," Sirius said. "I'll ask him."

Well, that didn't turn out the way I wanted.

At all

0o0o0

"He said you can tell me," Sirius reported in my ear in the middle of dinner.

"Go back to your own table, cousin," Narcissa snapped. "There's no room for traitors."

"No worries, Cissy- I'm leaving," Sirius chuckled.

I grabbed his arm. "Meet me in the library when we're dismissed," I growled in his ear. "I'll tell you then."

0o0o0

Sirius stood behind me. "You going to tell me?"

I sighed, closing my book. "Fine. Sit."

Sirius looked over my books. "Werewolves- a history. Lupine lawlessness- why lycanthropes don't deserve to live. Bitten, a memoir." He looked at me. "You were bitten?"

"A friend," I mumbled.

"Clues?"

"Look, Sirius, something happened last night when we were out. Remus got hurt. That's why he was in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey wanted to inspect him- chest and back especially. So, there you go."

"Was he... _bitten?"_

"Not exactly."

"You either get bitten or you don't!"

I sighed. "Ask Moony about it. I'm not telling."

0o0o0

"Werewolf?" Sirius muttered in my ear.

I pointed at Remus. "Therewolf."

"Ridiculous," the Black snapped. "Am I right or not?"

I sighed. "You're right. Now, this stays between me and you and Moony."

"And you call him _Moony_ because-"

"Yes, I call him Moony because of the full moon," I snarled. "Can you go now?"

Sirius grumbled something about 'stupid, stupid, _stupid_ Slytherins.'

"Ej, I hear you!" I protested, pointing my wand at his face.

"Not the James hex."

I smirked. "Not quite. Not the Gender hex either."

"Then what?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Sirius shook his head, walking away.

I smiled. "Prat."


	7. Chapter 7

"Moony," I muttered. "Huh."

Remus looked at me. "Pardon?"

"Don't worry, Moony, I won't tell anyone. Just tell me next time you're a ravaging wolf monster, eh?"

The Marauder looked amused. "Yes, Mother."

"I'll get you for that," I threatened.

James looked between us. "Is there something we should know?"

Remus shook his head furiously. "Sirius over here is just messing around. Nothing serious."

Peter chuckled. "Serious Sirius?"

Azalia walked up behind us. "Don't you even _dare_ tell them anything, Black. I'll know." She walked away.

I stared after her before shaking my head and running after her. "When can I-"

"Tell them?" she finished, smirking. "Ask our pal Moony."

0o0o0

"Baines!" I shouted.

James looked at me. "What now? Have a crush?"

Azalia walked to stand by me, carelessly slinging a hand around my shoulder. "Yes, Black?"

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

She knew exactly what I was talking about. "No- you'll see _exactly_ why in our presentation."

My eyes widened. "So... M-"

"Yes!" Azalia hissed. "Can you _shut up_ now?"

"Are you doing anything after classes today?"

"Meeting Moony in the Restricted Section to work on our project. No, you can't come with us." She smiled. "Bye, Sirius."

"Bye, Azalia!"

James looked at me strangely. "Azalia?"

Such a prat. Why am I friends with him again?

 **Haven't made a semi-A/N for a while now. Well, anyway, I don't own Harry Potter franchise.**

 **Over a hundred views! _Thank you so much,_ you guys- I wasn't expecting that!**


	8. Chapter 8

I looked at Azalia outside the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. "Ready, Lupa?"

"Of course, Moony," my friend smiled. "Let's do this."

"Good morning, class," Professor Raven said. "Today's the day we present. Any volunteers to go first?"

Azalia raised her hand.

"Ms. Baines and Mr. Lupin," Raven smiled. "Go ahead."

"Exsto," we said in unison, wands out. The projection folded out in the front of the room, expanding to surround all of us.

There I was, in all my werewolf glory, howling as I tried to scratch myself to shreds.

Azalia's recorded voice came on. "This is a werewolf that we found not far from here. Yes, before you ask, this _was_ filmed in person by Remus and myself. The werewolf you see before you was-"

Wolf me snarled and leaped at the camera harness on Azalia. The camera shook as she danced out of reach. I remembered this part. It was our Alpha challenge. My face landed in my hands.

Suddenly, my voice erupted from the vision. "This video was taken by a wolf animagus. What you see now is the werewolf and the animagus fighting over Alpha rights."

Azalia and I circle each other, before I leap at her. She sidesteps, whuffing a laugh as I hit a wall. I snarl, then advance toward her.

Lupa growls, refusing to retreat. Instead, she backs me into a corner and knocks me over. I land on my back with a sickening _crack!_ I wince. That had hurt.

Azalia looked over the heads of our peers into my eyes. _Sorry._

I shook my head, listening to Azalia's recorded voice as the vision showed her jaws extended over my throat. A deep growl escapes the animagus's maw. "The animagus cornered the werewolf, forcing him to," Werewolf me whimpered. "Surrender."

The projection shrunk and flew back into our wands. We grinned.

Professor Raven shook her head. "You outdid yourselves. Congratulations."

0o0o0

I looked at the grading slip. _O._ I smiled. Then saw the note.

 _Be more careful. People will figure it out if you're_ this _open about your werewolfism._

I blinked.

Sirius walked up behind me. "What's up, Moony?"

I showed him the slip.

"It's okay," he reassured me. "It wasn't that obvious."

I smiled. "Thanks, Sirius."

Azalia nodded. "Thanks, Sirius."

"Where'd _you_ come from?" I asked.

"A conference about how we're too open about your furry little problem," she grumbled.


	9. Chapter 9

I rolled my eyes. "Furry little problem?"

Azalia glared at me. "What else do you want to call it? Full Moon Cancer?"

I winced. "No."

"Exactly. Now, what's the next class?"

Remus sighed. "Potions, I think."

"Not yet," Azalia insisted. "I have something to show you.

0o0o0

Azalia led us through the halls of Hogwarts to the painting of an old man.

The man glared down at her. "Password?"

"No password, sir. I need to work on the rabbit."

The portrait swung open, and Azalia pulled us through. "Come on!" she hissed.

The room was dark. "Lumos Maxima," I muttered.

"Unnecessary, Sirius," Azalia chided, striking a match and lighting a torch, which she put on the wall.

"Nox," I grumbled, before taking a look around the room.

It was mostly covered with shelves of potions ingredients, with a few steaming cauldrons lined up against one wall. I inspected the jars of ingredients. "Aconite... Dittany... Valerian Root... Acromantula Venom... Powdered Moonstone... Armadillo Bile... Ewgh, live caterpillars... Dragon Blood... Where'd you get all this?"

Azalia looked up from one of the cauldrons. "Oh? It's simple. The Acromantula Venom was easy enough- we have a tribe of Acromantulas living in the Forbidden Forest, dragons I went to Romania- you'd be amazed what being a dragon-keeper prodigy can do for you- and collected their blood... basically, I travel the world and collect the ingredients I can't buy."

"What's all this for?" Remus asked.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Azalia asked, surprised.

Remus shook his head.

"It's for you. I'm trying to make a potion to help you through your transformations."

0o0o0

"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Black, and Ms. Baines, you are fifteen minutes late. Care to explain?"

I grimaced, signalling for Remus or Azalia to answer.

It was Azalia. "Professor Slughorn, we were experimenting with potions. Trying to create something to heal an... almost always fatal illness." The implications of the words were directed at us, and Remus nodded, subtly gesturing to himself.

Slughorn nodded. "Very well, but I can't have you arriving late for class again. Five points each from your houses, and a detention for Ms. Baines because I have no doubt that going to the experimental lab was purely her idea."

Azalia chuckled. "Not denying it."


	10. Chapter 10

It was after the day's classes. I said goodbye to Sirius and Remus, promising to give them any updates as to the potion, and went to Professor Slughorn's room. "Sir?"

"Ms. Baines, you do realize that experimenting with potions outside of this classroom is strictly prohibited?"

I shrugged. "Never really came up when I talked to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey about helping Remus. They said I could help him in any way. And truthfully, I was apprenticed to you several years ago... though I _did_ have black hair and brown eyes, and looked like I had over twenty years." I smirked. "The password to your room at the time was 'foolishness kills,' I believe."

Slughorn nodded thoughtfully. "Very well- I suppose we _can_ make an exception..."

"I'm here for detention," I reminded.

He waved his hand toward a pile of mixed ingredients. "Sort these. Report to me when you're done."

I got to work.

0o0o0

"Where _were_ you?" Severus asked.

I sighed. "Detention with Slughorn."

"Reason?"

"Late to class," I explained. "He didn't give Lupin and Black a detention, though. Blamed me for making them late- granted, it _was_ my fault." I chuckled.


	11. Chapter 11

The school year passed without any major issues- no three-headed Greek dogs, no giant death snakes... nothing. Just watching Remus sneak out at night when James and Pete were asleep to transform every full moon.

Then it was Christmas Break.

I had been dreading this moment since I had succeeded in breaking the Slytherin tradition by being sorted into Gryffindor.

My parents hated me for being sorted into the 'wrong House,' and Walburga had threatened to lock me in the cellar with Kreacher regularly coming down to whip me.

Then they'd insisted that I come to 12 Grimmuald Place for Christmas. Just bloody wonderful.

I'd shared my worries with Azalia, since she was a Slytherin, but her response was 'I'll get back to you.'

No news from her yet.

0o0o0

"I have an idea," Azalia said, stumbling over her words in her excitement.

"Oh?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in a... serious... manner.

"I can't make them nicer, but I _am_ technically pureblooded- Mother was Pureblood. A Shafiq. Then Father was the grandson of two witches and wizards, and his parents were magical, so by most standards, he also was Pureblood. I don't know how your parents will react, but I believe your mother and mine went to Hogwarts together. Slytherin and Ravenclaw. They got along quite well... I'm certain if Mother arranged a visit, I'd be able to accompany her. I can try to ease your suffering- maybe Shrink you so I can get you out."

"That's bloody brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"I wrote to Mother, and she said that she would ask," Azalia said quickly. "Now, I've got to fly- figuratively. Potter's coming."

"Wait- Azalia!"

The girl was gone.

I finished quietly. "Don't you think he and Pete should know?"

0o0o0

Walburga was waiting for me at the Platform, arms crossed. Regulus stood behind her. I waved to my brother and scowled at my mother.

"Sirius Orion, get yourself over here _right now!"_ my mother screeched.

Azalia shrugged, giving me a quick one-armed hug. "I'll see you soon, Sirius."


	12. Chapter 12

"Stanislaw! We're going to 12!" Mother called.

Father didn't bother to walk out of his office. "Yes, Becca!"

Mother grabbed my hand. I shrugged her off. "Mother, I know how to apparate."

Mother smiled. "I know, Azalia. But it's safer if the Blacks don't."

0o0o0

I stumbled away from Mother, regaining my senses. "I hate side-along."

Mother chuckled, waiting for the Black House- Mansion- to appear.

Sirius opened the door immediately. I walked toward him, engulfing him in a hug. "You okay?" I murmured in his ear.

"Fine," he said under his breath. "But Walburga won't want you showing any affection toward me. My room is the wine cellar."

I rolled my eyes. "Mother, Sirius and I are going on a walk."

0o0o0

"Any idea how you're going to smuggle me out of prison?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, don't be so dramatic. I have an idea, but I wouldn't be able to do it this year, or even next year, or the year after that. Actually, now that I think of it, we probably wouldn't be able to do this until Fifth year."

"What?"

I grinned. "Ever heard of the Animagus Transformation?"

"Well, _obviously."_

I chuckled at his irritation, changing into a wolf. Sirius jumped. I changed back. "Right. So I use that form to accompany Moony on his transformations, and if you- and James and Peter, if they found out- managed to complete the transformation, you would be able to come with or instead of me."

"That's both bloody brilliant and bloody scary."

I smiled. "Pretty much summarizes my experience as an apprentice warden at Azkaban."

"As a WHAT?!"

"Apprentice warden at Azkaban."

"They let a _child_ watch _criminals_ alongside _dementors?!"_

"I already knew too many curses to count, and the dementors were honestly more dangerous than the criminals."

"How did you survive?"

"I suppose it's because they feed on positive emotion. If you don't have any positive emotions, then they can't feed off of you." I smiled darkly. "Besides, I know the Patronus Charm."

"But surely-"

"I've been attacked once," I snapped. "Then I obliviated myself of the emotion it tried to take."

"What did you see?"

My hand tightened around my wand. "I don't want to talk about it, Sirius. We should be getting back."

He stood up and led me back to 12.

The entire way, I was haunted by the memory the dementor had made me see.

0o0o0

 _"Azalia, dear, do it. You have to know how in case you need to someday."_

 _I clenched my teeth. "Grandmother-"_

 _"Azalia."_

 _I blinked back tears. "Imperio."_

 _Grandmother's eyes glazed over and she turned toward me for instructions._

 _A tear fell down my cheek._ Kill me.

 _Grandmother's indecisive hands drifted to my neck, squeezing lightly._

Kill me, _I repeated mentally._

 _The hands squeezed harder._

KILL ME!

 _With a yell, Grandmother threw the curse off. She stood there, panting heavily. "Good job. On to the next one."_

 _"No. I can't."_

 _"You will," she said coldly._

 _Another tear fell. "Crucio."_

 _Grandmother writhed on the floor in pain. I forced myself to look away, the curse not effective anymore when I took my wand off of the older woman. "First try," she congratulated me weakly. "Last one."_

 _"NO!" I shouted. "I won't kill you!"_

 _Grandfather walked into the room to see what I was screaming about. "Azalia? What-"_

 _"Avada Kedavra," Grandmother said, pointing her wand at her husband._

 _I stared at her in shock._

 _"Now," the woman said. "Kill me."_

 _"I can't."_

 _"You can, Azalia," Grandmother smirked. "We have dark blood in our veins. It's in our blood to use the curses for evil. Kill me."_

 _I looked at Grandfather's body, then at Grandmother, then Grandfather's body. "I'm not going to live up to your expectations of this family. I won't kill you. I'm taking you to the dementors for a kiss."_

 _"Taking me to Azkaban means going to Azkaban. Once they learn you did the curses, you'll be locked up."_

 _I'd had enough. "Avada Kedavra." The spell hit my grandmother._

0o0o0

Cold water splashed across my face. "Azalia!" Sirius shouted.

"What?"

"You were screaming."

"Why am I at your house?"

"Your mother asked to spend the night. What were you dreaming about?"

I shook my head, crying.

"Shhhh," the boy urged. "It's okay."

I winced, pulling out my wand and pressing it to my head. "Do you have a Penesive?"

He nodded. "It's in the closet."

"Then I'll show you," I decided.


	13. Chapter 13

I pulled my head out of the Penesive's bowl. "Your grandmother was messed up."

"She was a Slytherin," she said bitterly. "What did you expect?"

"Azalia-"

"No, Sirius. I'm just as bad as she was. I Imperiused her, tortured her, and killed her. If anything, I'm worse."

"Don't say that!" I scolded. "I'm friends with a boy who turns into a ravaging monster once a month! What's it to me if you killed your grandmother?"

"Thanks," she whispered, looking at the wall. "Keep this from Potter, Pettigrew, and Remus, would you?"

"Of course," I said, smiling. "You're going to help me- us, if James and Pete find out- become an Animagus, right?"

"Of course!"

"Agreement made. I'm keeping your secret."

She turned into a wolf and licked my face. I laughed. "Don't do that!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Mum? Can we go now?"

Mum looked out of her office. "I'm sorry, Remus, but I have something that has to be done. Can Father take you?"

I nodded. "Yes, Mum!"

Father walked toward me, hand outstretched. "Come, Remus. We're apparating."

0o0o0

Immediately after landing at Platform 9 3/4, I was tackled by a grey wolf. I fell to the ground, laughing. "Az, get _off!"_

Then there was Sirius, staring down at me, grinning. "Yes, Baines, let our Moony up."

Azalia seemed to roll her eyes as she stepped off me after licking some chocolate off my cheek. She changed back.

Sirius stepped forward and held out his hand to help me up. "How was the little problem?"

I shuddered. "Not now, Sirius."

Father coughed. "I suppose you're fine now?"

I nodded. "I think so. Bye, Father."

"So?" Azalia demanded. "How was it?"

"I'll tell you on the train, Lupa."

0o0o0

"We're on the train," Azalia said. "Tell?"

"Yes, Mother," I grumbled.

"Ej!"

"Oh hello, Sirius, Remus..." James stood at the door to the compartment, Pete behind him. "Baines," he finished in disdain.

"Potter," she mirrored his tone. "What do you want?"

"To talk to my fellow marauders, Baines. Don't you have Snivellus to talk to or something?"

"Snape? He's to busy mooning over that redhead Evans. It's disgusting."

I hid laughter behind my fist. "Isn't it?"

Azalia stood up. "Well, I'm going. I have to take some notes for when I do internships at a dragon reserve this summer."

"Aren't you a little young?"

"Aren't I a little young to be an animagus, an apprentice potions master, and have an apparation license from Denmark?" she challenged. "Yes? Too bad- I do all three, Potter." She smirked at his shocked expression, nodded to Sirius and myself, and walked out of the compartment."

"I have gifts for you." James handed us small packages wrapped in Gryffindor scarlet with golden accents.

Sirius eagerly tore into his, while I gingerly took the wrapping off the box. Being a werewolf made you wary of silver, and I didn't know what the package contained.

It was a small pocket watch in the shape of a full moon. Gold plated. As I turned it over, I saw a note.

 _Remus John Lupin~  
I don't know whether you're fooling Pete with whatever you're saying about what you are, but you can't lie to me. I know you're a werewolf. And before you run away, no, I'm not disgusted, and I bet anything Sirius didn't run off when he found out either. I actually admire you for surviving so many transformations alone. Let me know if there's anything I can do.  
Sincerely,  
James Fleamont Potter  
P.S. Enjoy your new pocket watch._

I looked at James. "Thanks, mate."

Sirius turned his package over, shaking it gently. "What is this?" Finally, the Black heir gave up and opened the box. "Wha-"

I glared at James. "Seriously? That's illegal, Potter!"

"Sirius is smart enough not to get arrested, isn't he?"

Sirius smirked. "Yes, aren't I, Remus?"

"So I can trust you to hold on to Amortentia without using it? I sincerely doubt it." I stood up. "I have to go."

Walking out of the compartment, I remembered I had gifts for the other three Marauders.

 _Well, I can give them the gifts in school. We_ do _share a room, after all._


	15. Chapter 15

I unpacked my trunk, waiting for Dolores (slimy toad-like girl in my year) and Narcissa with her sister, Bellatrix, to come up so we could come up with new term rules for our dorm.

I came across a package marked 'Remus,' another marked 'Sirius,' a third marked 'Potter,' and a fouth marked 'Pettigrew.'

I smiled, casting a disillusionment charm on myself and walking to the Gryffindor Commons until someone walked into the room. It was Evans. I rolled my eyes at the girl, knowing she couldn't see me, and followed her into the red room.

Turning right, I found the Marauder dormitories and placed the gifts on the corresponding beds. Remus got the second-largest package (containing the password to the Potions lab, several books about werewolves, and the reassurance that he would survive until his thirtieth birthday at least), Sirius the largest (black leather jacket, ripped black jeans, black Led Zeppelin shirt- what, he's already an outcast in his family, so why not make him a rebel?), Potter a copy of 'Woo the Witch,' and Pettigrew a small assortment of Honeydukes' candy.

Smiling at the gifts, I turned to walk out of the room, but was stopped by Remus, Sirius, Potter, and Pettigrew walking into the room. I sighed and sat down, watching the boys walk to their beds and inspect the packages.

Remus immediately realized who the gifts were from, and nodded in my general direction, opening his. "Thanks, Az."

"Baines?" Potter asked.

I sighed, casting a _Finite Incantatem._ "Present. Hope you enjoy your gifts."

Potter looked at his suspiciously. "It's not going to explode?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "What do you take me as?"

"A Slytherin," Sirius smirked. "Isn't that what you are?"

"Potter, honestly, I'm trying to get you to be happy- open the gift."

"Woo the- Baines!"

I chuckled, changing into a wolf and running out of the room to Slytherin commons.


	16. Chapter 16

"I swear to God, Baines, I will-"

"James, she's trying to help, in her own Slytherin way," Remus scolded. "She knows about me, and she's trying to help me. _And_ she's tired of your pining. And hate you as she does, she thinks Lily deserves better than a guy like Snape."

"Snivellus isn't a guy, he's the greasiest git I ever met!" I protested.

"James, you're overreacting," Sirius said. "Calm it."

"You're taking his side!" I yelped.

"I mean, Snivellus _is_ a greasy git, but not all Slytherins are like that- Azalia is trying to help Remus get rid of his rabbit!"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Three out of four of us know- we may as well tell Pete. Avoid the 'rabbits' until we need to talk about it in public."

I shrugged. "Soon, mates. Soon. Our little Pete doesn't need to know yet. But we _will_ tell him."

"Hey, Sirius- I think Az would appreciate you helping her with the project. Password's Willow Passage. You know which portrait."

Sirius nodded at the words that made no sense to me. "Would Moony do me the honor of coming?"

"Moony has rabbit books to read, Sirius. He would love to, but he can't."

"Why is Moony talking in third person?"

Remus threw a pillow at Sirius.

0o0o0

"MoonymoonymoonymoonymoonymoonymoonymoonyREMUSJOHNLUPINTHERE'SBEENABREAKTHROUGHWETHINKTHEPOTIONWORKS!" Sirius shouted six hours later, running into the room.

Remus looked up from the book. "Slow down, Sirius."

"We think the potion works, you Ravenclaw."

Remus gestured to his tie. "Gryffindor, Siri. I'm in Gryffindor."


	17. Chapter 17

"Willow Passage," I murmured to the inaccurate picture of Merlin. "Please, sir, I need to do a quick stabilization. I'll be right out."

"No need, Baines. Take your entire life if you need it," Merlin grumbled, swinging open.

I rolled my eyes, walking into the room.

0o0o0

"Knock knock, Lupa," Remus said from behind me.

I yelped. "Merlin's soggy silver whiskers, Moony, _warn_ me before you talk!" I yelped, barely avoiding smashing the vial.

"Sorry, Lupa. Anything I can do?"

"Not really. Not until we have positive results from my godfather's preserve werewolves. They get first call in case they fall over dead."

Remus's arm brushed against mine as he peered into the cauldron. "What's in it?"

"So far? Aconite harvested during a full moon, Dittany, powdered moonstone, and crushed moonseed. I'm not sure how valerian root would react to it but it may help sleep through the transformation. So..."

"The valerian root is a personal preference, correct?"

I sighed, extracting several cups of the potion and transferring them to another cauldron, adding valerian root. When the potion didn't erupt, I answered, "Most likely."

"What do we do now?"

"I send this to Godfather, and he tries it out on some of the reserve's werewolves."

"Not with the potion. Now. It's after curfew."

I grimaced, walking to a cabinet and drawing out two vials. I tossed Remus one. "Wideye Potion. Drink." The smaller boy obeyed, watching me warily as I drank my vial. "Now, I've been experimenting with a few already created potions, making them slightly more potent. Would you like to be my guinea werewolf?"

"Instead of guinea pig?" Remus smiled. "Of course."

"Right. First up, I'd like you to try the Veritaserum."

Remus sighed. "I agreed, so there's no backing out. Bring it on."

I transfigured an empty cauldron into a chair over my shoulder, rummaging through another cabinet. "Sit," I instructed, not looking.

"Tell me how I'm supposed to sit if _I_ am the _chair?"_

I swore, finding the Veritaserum. "Gimme a moment." I took out the Amortentia and the Felix Felicis while I was at it, and turned back to the Remus-chair. "Finite," I grumbled.

Remus crossed his arms, glaring at me. "Do us all a favor and never do blind magic."

I laughed. "God, no. Not yet. I was just preoccupied. Here," I said, handing him the Veritaserum. "Take a sip."

Remus looked at the potion as if it had done something to him. "This won't turn me into s squirrel?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you take me for?"

He snorted, but drank.

"Right. So regular Veritaserum can be resisted. I will ask you a question with this potion, and you will attempt to resist. Understood?"

"What?"

"What House are you in?" I asked, irritated and slightly worried I had given him the wrong potion.

"The same as Sirius," said a dazed Remus. "The most amazing, bloody handsome, smartest boy in this school."

I swore under my breath. I'd given him the Veritaserum-Amortentia combination. Lovely.

"Remus, I am going to counter the potion you just drank."

"Why?" he asked, panicking. "Will it make Sirius disappear?"

I swore louder. "No. Would you feel better if Sirius was here with you?"

The werewolf nodded.


	18. Chapter 18

"Sirius Orion Black, open this bloody portrait _right now!"_ I heard someone shouting from the halls.

I got up from the couch. "Better go see who that is."

It was Azalia. "Sirius, you need to come with me. Remus drank a Veritaserum-Amortentia blend I made accidentally, and he's for some reason calling you the 'most amazing, handsome, smartest boy in the entire school.' He wants you by him when I counter the potion. I think he's afraid you'll disappear."

"Gimme a moment." I turned back to James. "Ej, Potter, can I borrow your cloak?"

James grumbled something, then said, "Bottom of my trunk."

"Wait here," I said quickly to Azalia, running up the stairs.

0o0o0

I rummaged through James's trunk, looking for his invisibility cloak. "Damn it, James Potter, where is the bloody cloak?"

James chuckled. "Honestly, Sirius, it's under the wizard chess board!" He reached over me and pulled out the cloak.

"Thanks, James. I'll give it back as soon as I can." I stood up and walked back to the portrait, where Azalia was still waiting. I held out the cloak. "Come on."

"You take the cloak. I can transform," she protested.

0o0o0

"Willow Passage," Azalia said breathlessly after transforming.

The man glared at her, but the portrait swung open.

"Remus?" Azalia called. "I'm back!"

The Marauder inched toward me. "Sirius?"

"I'm here, Remus," I said, looking at Azalia for help.

She shrugged. "I need to make the antidote. Good luck, Sirius."

I rolled my eyes, summoning a chair which I suspected was a transfigured cauldron, and sat down. Remus attempted to sit in my lap, and I awkwardly let him. He clutched my shirt desperately. "Sirius, please don't let her take you away. _Please,_ Sirius!"

I patted his back awkwardly. "It's okay, Remus. I'm not going to leave. I'll be right here when potion works. Trust me."

Azalia returned, holding a small flask. I stared at her. _How did you manage to do that in such a short time? It's literally been two minutes!_

"When you work with your own potions, you get to know the antidotes much better than you would otherwise. Fortunately, this didn't need any moonlight-soaked mandrake leaf." She smiled. "Here you go, Remus."

Remus disappeared into the right side of my neck. "I don't wanna."

"Remus, would you drink it if I fed it to you?" I asked gently.

He nodded weakly.

I sighed, lifting his head up and tilting the antidote into his mouth. "Now swallow."

A few moments later, Remus jumped off of my lap. "What just happened?" he asked, looking at Azalia, then me.

"I was going to give you the Veritaserum upgrade, but I gave you the Veritaserum-Amortentia update. It made you obsessed with the person you are closest to or most like to end up with... or both." The Slytherin hung her head. "I'm sorry."


	19. Chapter 19

I stared at Azalia. "What?"

She turned awkwardly. "Erm..."

My hands curled into fists. "Is it not enough that I'm a werewolf? Now you spread rumors that I'm gay- to one of my best mates?"

"Remus, the potion is foolproof. Though the Veritaserum wasn't enhanced, so if anything, you would go to the person you think you could love. But if you didn't resist, then you would have been attracted to and asked for the person you a, love, b, trust with your life, or c, are most likely to end up with."

I shook my head in distaste. "I'm not going to talk about it."

0o0o0

"Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Don't want to talk about it." I walked faster.

"Remus!" he shouted.

"Sirius," I said, dead calm. "I don't want to talk about it. Leave me alone."

"Remus-"

" _No,_ Sirius. I don't want to hear it."

The Black looked infuriated, but left me alone. I breathed a sigh of relief.

0o0o0

A note fluttered onto my paper.

 _Remus John Lupin~  
You're not talking to me, so I wrote you a letter.  
Look. __Azalia_ _Baines said that it was  
a) person you trust with your life  
b) person you are most likely to end up with  
c) person you love.  
It could be that you trust me.  
Yours,  
Sirius Orion Black_


	20. Chapter 20

"Remus?" I asked.

"Yes, Azalia?" he asked, not looking at me.

"Look. I understand if you're still mad about what happened with that potion-"

"Azalia, if I was mad, then I would either refuse to talk to you or would call you 'Baines.' I'm talking to you and calling you by your first name, so I'm not mad. Mistakes happen, and it could have been that I trust Sirius with my life."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank _God."_

He smiled. "So, what were you saying about the enhanced potions?"

"I have enhanced Felix- I think I'll try that one over the summer myself, enhanced Amortentia- think I'll give that to Snivellus keyed to McGonagall or another professor, and enhanced Veritaserum. If anything, then you can try the Veritaserum."

Remus grabbed my hand and dragged me to the laboratory. "Let's go, then."

"Now?"

"When else? We have a prank to plan later. And a Marauder to tell the truth to."

0o0o0

"All right, since we're going to try this, I think we should bring it to the Gryffindor common room and play a Marauder plus Slytherin game of Truth or Dare."

Remus grinned. "Let's."

0o0o0

I transfigured my robe and tie into Gryffindor, and immediately hated how I looked. "I'm changing my hair."

"I'm better at charms," Remus said. " _Colovaria."_

My hair changed to dark brown. "Thanks, Moony. Let's go."

"Don't forget the Veritaserum!" Remus reminded.

0o0o0

I pulled my hair back before gesturing for Remus to say the password.

"Avoria," he said to the Fat Lady. The portrait swung open.

"Remus!" Potter shouted.

"James," Remus greeted. "Up for a game of Truth or Dare?"

"Sure. Ej, Sirius! Pete! Truth or Dare?"

Both of them came over. "Who's the girl?" Sirius asked.

I glared at him. "Do you want me to repeat the hex I cast on Potter on the train at the beginning of the year, Sirius?"

"James, can we make her a Marauder?"

Potter shrugged. "Sure. I mean, she's already hexed me, she's helping Moony with his little problem, and her spells are as powerful as the ones the professors cast!" He held his hand out to me. "Truce and Maraudership?"

I thought for a moment, then took his hand. "Truce and Maraudership."

"So, Truth or Dare?" Sirius asked.

0o0o0

"Sirius, truth or dare?" I asked.

"Truth," the Black heir said, holding his hand out for the Veritaserum.

"How many times have you wished the death or Kreacher."

Sirius laughed humorlessly. "Over a hundred. You saw how he treated me. Why would it be any less?"

I nodded. "Good point."

"Azalia, truth or dare?" James asked.

I debated the question, then replied, "Dare."

"I dare you to prank one of the people in your House," James smirked.

"I already was planning to do that, James. I want to slip enhanced Amortentia into Snape's drink tomorrow at breakfast. The Amortentia is going to be keyed to one of the professors. Care to help me decide?"

"Dumbledore," James and Sirius replied in unison.

I grinned. "Gotcha. I'll be going now. I need to rig the goblets."

"Just do the entire House and make them fight over Dumbledore."

I winced. " _I'm_ in that House, James."

"Then don't drink," Remus put in.

"Brilliant." I smirked. " _Finite."_ My hair turned blond again, and my robe and tie turned green again. "I'll be going. See you at breakfast."


	21. Chapter 21

I woke up the next morning and immediately ran over to wake Sirius, Remus, and Pete. "Come on, guys, today's the day Azalia does her first prank as a Marauder! Wake up!"

Remus bolted awake. "God, James, shut up. Breakfast starts in an hour."

Sirius sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm going to the lab. It looked impossible to work in the last time I was there."

"And it's the least you can do since she's pranking her House and your family," Remus muttered.

Sirius got out of his bed and walked over to Remus. "You're coming with me. So is Prongs."

0o0o0

Sirius led Remus and myself to a very inaccurate picture of Merlin. "Willow Passage," the Black said.

Merlin sneered at him, but swung open.

Sirius rolled his eyes and walked into the room. "Come on."

0o0o0

"Hey, Azalia," Sirius said, seeing the Slytherin Marauder.

She turned. "Hey, Sirius." She looked at the vial in her hand. "I don't know whether I can do this."

"What?" I exploded.

Remus glared at me. "Why not?" he asked gently.

Azalia started pacing in front of us. "I got a letter from Father yesterday in the Common Room. He's ordering me to choose a husband from a list of Slytherin blokes."

"Who are the blokes?" I asked.

"That's the bad part. They're Snape, Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, Wilkes, either Lestrange brother, or either Black brother- that's you and Regulus, Sirius."

Sirius growled. "I swear I'm going to kill him-"

"That's my father you're talking about, Black," Azalia snapped.

"Can't you just change the prank to slipping Veritaserum-Amortentia into the drinks?" I asked.

Azalia grinned at me. "That's a great idea, James. Thanks." She smiled. "I'd best be getting to the kitchens."

0o0o0

I sat down across from Sirius. "Ready to see the prank?"

Sirius shrugged. "I have a feeling that something is going to go not as planned."

I caught Azalia's eye.

She winked.

I saw her right shoulder twitch as she waved her wand under the table.

Almost as if under the control of an Imperius, the entire hall (minus the teachers, but including Remus, Sirius, Pete, and myself) reached for their goblets and drank. Azalia subtly hid her wand and took a sip as well.

Immediately, I felt myself being drawn toward Evans, and saw Malfoy being drawn to Narcissa Black, Snivellus also to Evans, Evans being pulled between me and Snivellus, Remus being drawn to Sirius, and everyone being drawn to someone else...

Every student except Azalia.


	22. Chapter 22

I watched the other students be pulled toward each other due to the potion, not feeling anything myself. Not one urge. Not a single pull.

McGonagall gestured for me to come and talk to her.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Do you have anything to do with this?"

"A Marauder probably did it," I said, avoiding the question.

"So it _was_ you."

"Yep."

"I expect an antidote by lunch."

"I need classes to be cancelled for today," I stated. "I don't want to miss anything and it'll take a long time to brew both potions, then combine them into the antidote. I ran fresh out when I trialed the mixture."

"Very well," McGonagall said. "Classes are cancelled. Everyone stays in here until the antidote is ready."

I nodded briefly, then walked to the lab.

0o0o0

I swore loudly as the antidote exploded yet again.

Then, I heard Merlin yelling something about blood traitors and monsters, and I knew exactly what had happened.

"Merlin, let them in!" I shouted.

The wizard in the portrait muttered something about ungrateful Slytherin females using his room, but swung open.

Remus and Sirius stumbled in, Remus's hand over Sirius's shoulder, Sirius's arm around Remus's waist. I smiled. _They're perfect for each other._

"Hey, Azalia. Thought we could help you," Remus said. "Since we're the only ones who know what really happened."

"McGonagall knows too," I said absently. "Wait, why are you acting normal?"

Sirius shrugged. "Maybe we're not the Sirius and Remus you know."

"Great. I'm going mental," I grumbled.

"Maybe not." Remus took a Time Turner out of his shirt. That's when I realized they looked older than eleven. "You're a pureblood. I presume you've heard of Time Turners?"

"But-"

"Minnie gave it to him when this bloody prat wanted to take literally every elective," Sirius said affectionately.

"Who you calling a bloody prat?" Remus asked, pushing him gently.

I rolled my eyes. "Could you two stop flirting and help me with this? McGonagall wants it ready by lunch."

Remus untangled himself from Sirius. "What's going wrong?"

"It keeps exploding," I explained.

"Remus?" Sirius said from behind us.

"Yes, Padfoot?"

"What if we used that charm you used when Wormtail ate too much of that food Prongs gave him-"

"Brilliant, Pads!" Remus exclaimed.

"Anytime, Moony."

Remus aimed his wand at the cauldron. "Pour the Veritaserum antidote in."

I did as he said.

"Now the- wait, are you using Hate potion or Love Potion antidote?"

"Love Potion antidote."

"Use Hate potion," the older werewolf instructed.

I nodded. "Sirius, the potion's in the cupboard by your left ear. It's the one in the silver opaque vial. Toss it here?"

Sirius rummaged around the cupboard, pulling out the potion. "Here."

I caught the potion, then poured it into the cauldron.

Remus turned to look at Sirius. "Ready, Padfoot?"

"Will this one be like last time?"

"Most likely."

"Right. Lupa, turn away."

I did as he instructed.

" _Stabiliendum_ ," I heard Remus say. There was a blinding flash of multicolored light, then darkness."

"Yep. Like last time," Sirius complained. " _Lumos_."

"What _was_ that?" I asked.

"A charm Moony came up with. First used when Wormtail barfed up what Prongs fed him."

"Who's Prongs, who's Wormtail, and why is Remus calling you Padfoot?" I asked.

"So over break, you suggested you help me become an unregistered Animagus, right?" I nodded. "I followed through, thanks to your help. James and Peter did too. James is Prongs, Peter is Wormtail, and I'm Padfoot, _obviously."_

I changed into a wolf and lay down by the cauldron, raising one eyebrow.

Sirius laughed, then changed into a black dog. He barked.

I changed back. "Fine. I believe you. I take it James is a stag and Pete is a rat?"

"Exactly."

"Hey, what questions were on the OWLs and NEWTs?" I asked.

"Nice try," Remus chuckled. "Not telling."

* * *

 **Almost at 600 views? Pinch me. I _have_ to be dreaming.**


	23. Chapter 23

I paced impatiently, waiting for Miss Baines to come back into the Great Hall.

"Minerva, she'll have it," Albus tried to reassure me.

"Albus, she's a Slytherin! A brilliant Slytherin, but still a Slytherin."

"Minerva, as teachers, we swore to put House rivalries behind us," the Headmaster scolded.

"I know," I murmured.

At that moment, said Slytherin girl burst through the door, holding a vial of a liquid I thought was the antidote. She smiled up at me, and aimed her wand at the vial. Her voice echoed as she shouted, " _Haustus!"_

Immediately, the students sprang apart, and stared around. I saw Mr. Potter and Mr. Black glaring at Miss Baines. The Slytherin shrugged.

"Miss Baines, detention for a weeks and seventy-five points from Slytherin!" I shouted.

"Or just take off two hundred points from Gryffindor, because Mr. Potter and Mr. Black masterminded this whole prank? Then add fifty points each to the future Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin for helping make the antidote through a Time-Turner?" she challenged. "Take off a hundred and fifty points. It's equivalent, more or less. Detention is unnecessary."

I was stunned. It was the first time a student had tried to convince me out of detention, and it was actually working!

"Very well, Two hundred points from Slytherin and one detention," I conceded.

She smiled. "When's the detention?"


	24. Chapter 24

_**The steps mentioned in this chapter are taken word for word from Short Stories from Hogwarts- Of heroism, hardship, and dangerous hobbies. Thought I'd put that out there.**_

0o0o0

I sighed, peering through the books. "I don't remember it being this complicated."

"The library closes in five minutes, dear," Madam Pince reminded me.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll be out before then." I glanced at the book. "I'd like to borrow this."

"Return it by the end of the week," she said absently.

"I'll try."

0o0o0

I swore loudly.

Narcissa looked at me. "Language, Baines."

"Shut up, _Malfoy,"_ I snapped.

"Someday soon. Not yet."

I sincerely wanted to hex her, but I turned back to the book.

 _For the space of one entire month (from full moon to full moon), a single leaf from a Mandrake must be carried constantly in the mouth. The leaf must not be swallowed or taken out of the mouth at any point. If the leaf is removed from the mouth, the process must be started again._

 _Remove the leaf at the full moon and place it, steeped in your saliva, in a small crystal phial that receives the pure rays of the moon (if the night is cloudy, you will have to find a new Mandrake leaf and begin the whole process again). To the moon-struck crystal phial, add one of your own hairs, a silver teaspoon of dew collected from a place that neither sunlight nor human feet have touched for a full seven days, and the chrysalis of a Death'shead Hawk Moth. Put this mixture in a quiet, dark place and do not look at it or otherwise disturb it until the next electrical storm._

 _While waiting for the storm, the following procedure should be followed at sunrise and sundown. The tip of the wand should be placed over the heart and the following incantation spoken: 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus.'_

 _The wait for a storm may take weeks, months or even years. During this time, the crystal phial should remain completely undisturbed and untouched by sunlight. Contamination by sunlight gives rise to the worst mutations. Resist the temptation to look at your potion until lightning occurs. If you continue to repeat your incantation at sunrise and sunset there will come a time when, with the touch of the wand-tip to the chest, a second heartbeat may be sensed, sometimes more powerful than the first, sometimes less so. Nothing should be changed. The incantation should be uttered without fail at the correct times, never omitting a single occasion._

 _Immediately upon the appearance of lightning in the sky, proceed directly to the place where your crystal phial is hidden. If you have followed all the preceding steps correctly, you will discover a mouthful of blood-red potion inside it._

 _It is essential to move, at once, to a large, secure place where your transformation cannot cause alarm or place you in physical danger. Place your wand-tip against your heart, speak the incantation 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus,' and then drink the potion._

 _If all has gone correctly, you will feel a fiery pain and an intense double heartbeat. Into your mind will come the shape of the creature into which you are shortly to transform. You must show no fear. It is too late, now, to escape the change you have willed._

 _The first transformation is usually uncomfortable and frightening. Clothing and items such as glasses or jewellery meld to the skin and become one with fur, scales or spikes. Do not resist and do not panic or the animal mind may gain the ascendancy and you could do something foolish, such as try to escape through a window or charge a wall._

 _When your transformation is complete you should find yourself physically comfortable. You are strongly advised to pick up your wand at once, and hide it in a place of safekeeping, where you will be able to find it when you regain a human form._

 _To return to a human form, visualise your human self as clearly as you can. This should be sufficient, but do not panic if the transformation does not occur immediately. With practice, you will be able to slip in and out of your animal form at will, simply by visualising the creature. Advanced Animagi can transform without wands._

 _Generally wizards prefer to have their clothes Transfigure with them, to escape the embarrassment of reappearing naked. However, it is possible to leave clothes behind if one wishes to give the impression of having gone for a bath or something similar. The longer a witch or wizard has been an Animagus, the better they will become at choosing the precise form of their transformations.  
The animal into which one turns, if an Animagus, seems always to be that which becomes the Patronus. There is no known instance of the Animagus form changing to match the Patronus if the latter changes, but the Animagus who can also produce a Patronus is highly unusual and no study has ever been done on sufficient numbers to draw firm conclusions._

I sighed, closing the book after a quick _'Tralatio'_ to transfer the steps and the last note to a blank piece of parchment. I found myself to be using more original spells than the classical spells taught to First Years- or students in general!

"I'm going out," I said to no one in particular.

Dolores glanced up. "When'll you be back?" she asked in her obnoxiously high voice."

"When detention lets out, _toad._ Did you forget?"

She looked like she wanted to use one of those blood quills I'd seen plans for under her pillow. I decided to leave before anything could happen.

0o0o0

"Here, Professor!" I said, walking into Professor McGonagall's classroom.

The woman was sitting at her desk. "Miss Baines, you will be helping me with a slight mistake I made."

I heard a muffled yelp of protest from the closet in the corner. I looked at said closet. "Alohamora."

I saw the doors of the closet open, and watched as Sirius and James bearing down on Remus while Peter watched.

James smiled cruelly. "You thought we would accept you and your little wolf friend, Lupin?"

Remus looked at the Potter's wand pointed between his eyes. "You promised-"

"Promised on an unbreakable vow?" Sirius laughed coldly. "I don't think so, _Moony."_

"Where's little Lupa when you need her?" James questioned.

I winced. "R-Ri- _Riddikulus!"_ I tried, aiming my wand at what I expected to be a boggart.

James turned to me. "Look who turned up, Sirius. It's Lupa herself."

I took a deep breath. _"Riddikulus!"_ I shouted.

The boggart turned into Dolores hopping around flicking her tongue at imaginary flies. I laughed, forcing the boggart into the closet. "That's your _slight_ mistake?" I asked.

"Indeed. That particular boggart was found by Gamekeeper Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest terrorizing the centaurs. To stop the centaurs from attacking the castle, we had to take the boggart. We need your help- as the most accomplished student-" she winced, "-and only person who has that connection with beasts since Mr. Scamander, who has gone off our radar."

I swore mentally. "I'll do it."


	25. Chapter 25

"She seems a little off," I said thoughtfully.

"Who?" James and Remus chorused.

"Azalia," I replied. "She's been spending more and more time immersed in books, and she keeps bumping into people between classes. Even during lessons, she doesn't pay attention."

"So like Moony during his time of month?"

"Worse. I haven't heard her say anything sensible since the prank!"

"Go ask her, if you're so worried," Remus suggested.

0o0o0

"I need to see her."

"Password?" Merlin drawled.

"Willow Passage," I tried.

"Wrong," he sneered.

"It's Radiate," Azalia shouted from inside.

"Radiate," I said.

Merlin rolled his eyes, but swung open.

"Azalia?" I asked.

"Here," she said from behind me.

I jumped. "Godric!"

She laughed. "Why are you here?"

"Curiosity."

She transfigured two empty cauldrons into chairs. "Sit and tell me."

"Why are you so distant?" I asked.

"Riddikulus. Me? Distant?"

"Are you trying to give me a hint?"

She nodded. "Riddikulus, Sirius. Honestly, you're the dimmest pureblood I've ever met."

"There's a boggart that we need to get rid of?"

"Change the we to I. _I_ need to get rid of a boggart."

"Do you need help?"

"No. I'll do it myself." She smiled. "Thanks, Sirius."


	26. Chapter 26

I sighed. "Sirius, I have to go."

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what the deal is with the boggart."

I stood up. "No."

Sirius grabbed my wrists. "Tell. Me."

My wand slid into my hand. "Let go, Sirius. I don't want to do something we'll both regret."

"I'm not letting go until you tell me."

I twisted out of the Black heir's grip and non-verbally cast a House-Changing Hex.

Sirius's robe and tie changed to a Slytherin green and he backed away. "Baines, why am I in the library with you?"

"I was just leaving, Black," I snapped.

0o0o0

"Sorry I was late," I said. "I needed to-"

Sirius smiled. "I know, remember?"

"Oh. _Right."_

"Good thing James never found out about that hex," Sirius smirked. "Snivellus as a Hufflepuff- can you imagine?"

"I'd rather not, Pads." Remus pursed his lips. "A little terrifying."

"You're right," Sirius admitted.

"Guys!" I yelped. "Focus."

They lowered their heads. "We can't talk here," Sirius said. "We can go to you-know-where..."

"You-know-where? You mean-" Realization dawned on Remus's face. "Oh. _Oh."_

"Let's go," Sirius grinned. "Time's wasting."

0o0o0

"Inside," Remus directed, pointing to a door I hadn't noticed until he's pointed it out.

I followed his directions. "What is this place?"

"The Room of Requirement. We found out about it in Fifth year when you- well, the Azalia from our time- locked us in here while the room looked like a cupboard - _real subtle, Baines-_ until we snogged."

"So... broom closest when you got locked in here, conference room right now... how?"

"We're in a magical school, Lupa. You'd think a pureblood would have figured that out by now."

"Sirius!" Remus scolded. "Anyway, Azalia, the room provides anything you need- besides food-"

"Principles of Gawp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?" I guessed.

"Exactly. We used it to play the biggest prank in Hogwarts history our seventh year," Sirius grinned at the memory.

"Enough background history. Let's plan how to get rid of the boggart." Remus hadn't changed over seven years.

"And get First year Sirius back to normal," I added.

Sirius smiled. "She's got her priorities straight."


	27. Chapter 27

"Sirius," Potter called.

"Potter," I said coldly. "What do you want?"

"To ta-" Potter's eyes drifted over my uniform. "Why are you wearing a Slytherin uniform?"

"Why wouldn't I, Potter? I was Sorted into Slytherin, like the rest of my family. And why are you even talking to me?"

Baines walked up behind us, arguing with someone who looked barely out of Seventh Year. "Conrad-"

"Azalia, we can't argue about this. It's the best plan."

"Because Snuffles came up with it?"

I noticed a dog panting beside the boy. It barked.

"Snuffles," Conrad scolded.

"Conrad, we can't do what Snuffles suggested!" Baines argued. "It won't work!"

"Azalia, who's this?" Potter asked.

"My brother- Conrad Baines. By his side is our family dog, Snuffles."

"That's nice," I snapped. "Now, Potter, if you wouldn't mind, I need to go to the Slytherin Commons."

As I walked away, I heard Potter asking Baines, "When'd he become a Slytherin, Lupa?"

"Don't even _ask,"_ Baines replied.

0o0o0

"Azalia, is there a countercurse?"

"I don't know. How long did it take me to come up with the original hex? _Two. Months."_

"So you're saying that it'll take you another two months to come up with the countercurse?" the Conrad bloke exploded.

"Conrad, you know it'll work out!"

"What if it doesn't? What if-"

"We're not going to think about that 'what ifs' of this situation. We need to come up with an idea!"

The dog, Snuffles, barked.

Azalia rolled her eyes. "Snuffles, we already talked about this!"

"Can you take him for a walk?"

"I'll take him by the Willow. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

Conrad stiffened, shooting me a glance. He took out his wand. _I recognize that wand! It looks like-_

 _Lupin's?_

"I'm coming."

"Wait. Conrad-"

"I know, Azalia. But there's multiple rooms, remember?"

"I actually didn't." She stood up. "So, you coming?"

"Yes, Azzy."

"Don't call me that!"


	28. Chapter 28

I smelled another of my kind. I needed to get out.

Lupa was stopping me. She stood between me and the door, hackles raised. _No._

 _Out to pack!_

She snarled. _No!_

I growled at her, but backed off.

 _Thought so._

 _Pack!_

She growled. _He won't come._

There was a howl, followed by a series of barks. I lunged at the door.

 _No!_ Lupa barked sharply. _Snuffles- contain!_

The barks continued. _Understood, Alpha._

 _PACK!_

More howls from my packmate. _Let. Me. Out. Padfoot._

 _No!_ 'Snuffles' snarled.

I circled, irritated. _Let me out?_

Lupa turned away from me.

0o0o0

"What happened back there?" I asked.

"My brother was visiting. Our dog was with him. They were in a different room. He should be coming out soon."

True enough, someone who looked as if he'd lately graduated came out from under the Willow, followed by a black dog. The teen glanced at Azalia. "I thought I told you not you wait."

"We can just-"

"-Obliviate him? You won't."

"How do you-" Snuffles barked. "Oh. Right. Forgot... sorry."

"Snuffles and I have to go." The teen smiled. "See you around. Don't forget-"

"I know, I know, Conrad. Make Sirius normal again."

"As Snuffles would say, priorities."

Azalia laughed.

0o0o0

"So what's wrong with Sirius?"

"He wouldn't let me go meet with Conrad. I had to hex him, and he now thinks he was Sorted into Slytherin."

I stared at her. "Pardon?"

"As I said- Sirius is a Slytherin."

"I heard you. How did you manage that?"

"House-Changing Hex. A new creation of mine."

"Countercurse?"

"That's the problem. It may take up to two months."

My head dropped against the book on the desk in front of me. "That's how long it'll take to-"

"-Bring him back to normal? Unfortunately, it might."

"Let's get to work, then."

"The spells are always taken from Latin. So we-"

"Wouldn't a Finite Incantatem work?" Conrad asked from behind.

I jumped. "God, Baines, don't do that!"

Azalia chuckled. "Conrad!"

"It's a valid question," Conrad defended.

"It is," Azalia admitted. "Can you-"

Conrad took out his wand, which looked suspiciously like mine. "Accio Sirius Orion Black!"

"No magic in the library!" Professor Dumbledore reminded.

"I apologize, Professor."

Sirius came zooming into the library. Unfortunately, Conrad was standing behind me, so I ended up catching the Black awkwardly in my arms. I felt Conrad smiling as I helped Sirius stand up, embarrassed.

"Finite Incantatem," Conrad chanted.

Nothing. Sirius's robe and tie remained green.

Conrad went to cast another spell, but Azalia said, "Wait."

Conrad froze.

Azalia took out her wand. Waving it in a complicated pattern, she softly chanted, "Facti sunt normalis. Facti sunt normalis. Facti sunt normalis."

Sirius's robe began flashing between red and green. Conrad swore, looking at Snuffles. "A little help, Snuffles?"

The dog barked quietly, then padded over to Sirius and sat. He licked the Black's palm.

Sirius wiped his wet hand with his robe. "Seriously?"

Snuffles barked, amused. Azalia and Conrad shared a glance.

"I'm out of ideas."

"Maybe all of us doing the countercurse?"

"The words are 'Facti sunt normalis.' The movement is just infinity symbols going through three hills. Simple." She smiled. "Try."

Conrad and I raised our wands. Making the gesture Azalia had described, we (mostly I, probably, since I care about Sirius more) chanted, "Facti sunt normalis. Facti sunt normalis. Facti sunt normalis."

Azalia joined in.

Finally, after about ten minutes, Sirius was back to normal. I hugged the taller boy tightly, then turned to glare at Azalia. "Never again."

She raised her hands up in surrender. "I'll try. Conrad?"

"Never again."

Snuffles barked in seeming agreement.

"And you would know all about that," Azalia said, smirking at the dog. "Conrad, once we get rid of the problem, could you leave?"

"We have a plan. We succeed with the plan, and we'll come around less."

Azalia turned to face her brother. "Just don't shag anyone."

"I don't know how well that'll go. Some people don't have much self-restraint."

Snuffles barked, seemingly offended.

"Yes, Snuffles, I was talking about you," Azalia said sarcastically.

Snuffles stood up and walked over to the Slytherin girl. He nosed her hand affectionately.

Azalia laughed. "I need to go. If you need me, I'll be in the lab."

"See you," Conrad said, gesturing for Snuffles to follow him out of the library.

I watched them go, then turned to Sirius. "That was… interesting.


	29. Chapter 29

"Think, Azalia!" I groaned, frustrated.

"Radiate," Remus said to Merlin.

I heard Padfoot bark.

Merlin spat at them, but opened.

Older Remus (Conrad) looked over my shoulder at the book. "What is it?"

I sighed, slamming the book shut. "There's no possible way to go through with the procedure for you-know-what," I groaned.

Padfoot changed back to Sirius. "What do you mean?"

"We'd need to have someone face the boggart, then another to force said boggart into a wardrobe. But we'd need to do that without having the boggart focus on person two."

"So the problem?"

"We'd need the boggart to focus on person one while person two forces the boggart into the wardrobe. The boggart can _not_ focus on person two. And the issue is, two of us have to do this, and the third one to lock the wardrobe. I nominate Sirius to face the boggart, me to force the boggart, and Remus to lock the wardrobe."

"Are you calling me weak?" Remus asked.

"No! I'm just saying-"

"I agree with Lupa, Remus," Sirius said quietly.

Remus looked at his friend. "Do you?"

Sirius nodded, then looked at me. "Let's go to Minnie's office to tackle this boggart, then."


	30. Chapter 30

"Pads, be careful!" I reminded the Black.

"I'll be fine, Moons. Trust me, just this once. Please?"

"He'll be fine, Remus," Azalia said reassuringly. "We have this planned out. All you need to do is stand by the wardrobe and close it once the boggart is fully inside."

"I feel _very_ important," I said sarcsatically.

"Watch it," Azalia warned.

"On three?" Sirius interrupted.

"One," Azalia agreed.

"Two," I muttered.

"Three!" Sirius gestured for Azalia to open the closet.

She smiled hesitantly as her hand creeped toward the doorknob.

I stared at the wolf advancing toward Sirius, snarling. Unfortunately, I recognized the wolf- it was me under the full moon.

Azalia and I winced in unison, and Azalia drew her wand to help if necessary. Sirius shook his head slightly, his wand pointed at the wolf. "Riddikulus." It came out unsure. The wolf continued to advance. Sirius stepped back. "Riddikulus." Nothing.

Azalia shook her head, aiming her wand at the boggart. She looked at me. _Should I?_

I wasn't sure whether she should take over for Sirius, but I nodded. _Go ahead._

She smiled grimly and walked between Sirius and the boggart, which was now me being cornered by Sirius and James while Peter watched. James and Sirius didn't even say anything (Though James opened his mouth) before the girl shouted, "Riddikulus!"

The four First year Marauders turned into Umbridge flicking her tongue at imaginary frogs. Even Sirius and I laughed, and Azalia cracked a smile and forced the boggart into the wardrobe. She nodded for me to lock the wardrobe, and I gladly complied.

Azalia panted, exhausted. "I had no idea it would take that much energy."

I ran to her side. "You okay?"

She nodded weakly. "I need to ask McGonagall to dispose of this in Albania or somewhere."

"No need, Miss Baines," the Professor said.

I jumped. Sirius went to transform, but I shook my head subtly.

"Who are these gentlemen who helped you?"

"This is my brother, Conrad, and my brother's friend, Tadeusz," Azalia said, trying not to show that I was lying.

"You don't have to lie, Miss Baines."

Azalia sighed. "This stays in this room."

McGonagall rolled her eyes, something I didn't expect. "Very well."

"It's Remus and Sirius."

"Pardon?"

I took the Time Turner out of my shirt. "Well... you gave me a Time Turner in Third year so I could take multiple classes at the same time. You let me keep said Time Turner after we graduated. We used said Time Turner to help Azalia with the potion, the boggart, and that interesting hex she used on First year Sirius."

"Not the hex," Azalia pleaded. "Don't talk about that."


	31. Chapter 31

_**First, I would like to say thank you for giving me over 1000 views. I was**_ **not** ** _expecting this, and I feel wanted.  
Onto the story, then..._**

0o0o0

I sighed. McGonagall knew.

 _McGonagall knew._

I turned over in the bed and swore under my breath.

Narcissa stirred. "Language, Baines."

I sat up. "Black, shut it. I'm not in the mood."

"Anything to do with that new detention you have from Slughorn."

" _What?!"_

"Didn't you hear? Slughorn gave you detention."

I stared at her. "Pardon? Slughorn gave me _another_ detention?"

The Sixth year shrugged.

0o0o0

"Sir?" I asked.

"Miss Baines." The semi-fat professor nodded to me.

"What am I doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"Your technically illegal potions brewing without a license."

I pulled out the license. "We already discussed this, sir."

"Miss Baines, the license does not matter if you obtained it through a lie."

"Proper protection has been taken. Conrad and Snuffles- as well as Merlin- are helping me, besides that. Do you want daily updates, or are those unnecessary?"

"Daily updates would be nice, yes."

I rolled my eyes. "What am I doing in this detention?"

"Sorting ingredients again." The 'armchair professor' said, waving his slug-shaped wand at an empty table. "No magic."

I shrugged and got to work.

0o0o0

Five minutes into the detention, there was a knock on the door. I sighed and picked up my wand. "Alohamora."

'Conrad' stumbled in, followed by something that could only be a drunk Snuffles. My face fell in my hands. "Padfoot, why?"

My 'brother' rolled his eyes. "I don't even want to know."

"Don't forget to stay safe," I teased.

"Don't forget to choose the right suitor," he shot back. "I need a hangover potion."

"Ebrius," I muttered subtly. "I need to get back to sorting. Bye, Conrad."

Snuffles rubbed against his human companion. I turned away to keep myself from being scarred. 'Conrad' laughed. "Come on, Pads."


	32. Chapter 32

I sighed, flopping down on the bed. "Remus, I can't do this anymore."

"Time runs out soon enough." My boyfriend grinned. "We have a prank to plan, remember?"

"Lily will murder us."

"You're refusing to prank?" His mouth fell open. "It's a miracle!"

"I hate you, Moony," I grumbled. "I hate you to Jupiter and back."

"I love you too, Pads."

I rolled my eyes, sitting up and kissing him gently.

"Guys, that's Narcissa's bed," Azalia grumbled from the doorway.

"Even better," I smirked. "PDA on my cousin's bed."

"Sirius, Sirius, Sirius."

"Azalia, Azalia, Azalia," I mimicked.

I got a slap across the face for that one.

0o0o0

"So what do we do with the boggart now that it's trapped?"

"Minnie's getting rid of it," Azalia said absently, flipping through a book.

"Is she, now?" I asked.

"Sirius, please. Not now."

"We're running out of time anyway," Remus said quietly.

"I'll be seeing you... in your own time?"

"Yes. I don't think it would be wise for us to come back."

Azalia marked the page she was on, stood up, and kissed us on our cheeks. "Bye, guys."


	33. Chapter 33

I smiled, though I was sad to see them go.

Then I remembered the risk they were taking and how they weren't supposed to be seen by the people they were in the past.

They put their lives at stake by letting themselves be seen by the past them.

And I had used them for my own purposes.

No wonder I was in Slytherin.

0o0o0

Three months flew by, and it was time for exams.

Dolores paced the floor angrily, muttering about cats. I rolled my eyes and stared out into the lake.

The giant squid swam by lazily, staring at me. I nodded politely, and it waved.

I smiled. "Cissa, I'm going to the library."

"Be back before curfew," the prefect called after me.

0o0o0

I looked at my notes. "I remember that... and that... though for me it was a day, so..."

Sirius peered over my shoulder. "What'cha got there?"

"God, Pa- Sirius! Get out!"

Sirius sat down next to me. "Why?"

"Because it's obvious Azalia's busy, Sirius," Remus said from behind us.

"Actually, it's because I'm reviewing notes for something completely and utterly illegal, since we're not registering you," Azalia hissed in my ear. "I need to study for exams," I said, louder so Remus could hear, stuffing the parchment into my bag.

"Can I join you?" Remus asked.

"Moony, the only thing we have to know are..." I consulted another piece of parchment. "Astronomy, names and movements of the stars, planets and their moon or moons. Charms we have the levitation, softening, fire making, and dancing charms. For DADA we have the Curse of the Bogies, the Knockback Jinx, and different ways to treat werewolf bites. For Herbology- anyway, it's everything we've learned this year. I need to study for impressing the professors. If we have the dancing charm for Charms then..." I grinned at the memory of Dolores unwillingly tap dancing across the common room while rapping. "I have that figured out."

"Wish I shared your confidence," the werewolf grumbled, shoving Sirius out of the chair.

"EJ!" the Black heir yelped.

"Served you right," Remus smirked.

"Remus, Sirius, please. I need to be alone."

They nodded and, shoulders slumped, walked off, muttering about pranks.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't even try."


	34. Chapter 34

I stared at Professor Flitwick, eyes questioning as he pointed to a pineapple. "Dance."

"If I do other charms _while_ the Dancing charm is active, would that count as bonus?"

"It depends."

"Verbal or Nonverbal?" I asked casually, as if a First year casting nonverbal charms was perfectly normal.

"It doesn't matter, Miss Baines, but as a First year, I doubt you would be able to cast nonverbal charms safely."

I shrugged, saying, " _Tarantallegra."_ Meanwhile, I was thinking, _Obcento,_ which caused the pineapple to start singing 'A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love' to Flitwick. The man shook his head in disbelief and wrote something down on a piece of parchment. "Dismissed. Please send in Mr. Black."

0o0o0

"Sirius, your turn," I grumbled, walking out of the classroom to Professor McGonagall's for my Transfiguration exam.

Sirius frowned, glared at the door, took out his wand, and walked into the office.

0o0o0

"I would like you to turn this mouse into a snuffbox," McGonagall said.

I stared at the mouse. Transfiguration was never easy for me, since I didn't like changing animals into inanimate objects.

"Any day now," the professor sighed.

I took out my wand and sighed. "Yes, ma'am." There was a flash of bright blue light at the end of my wand as the mouse turned into a golden snuffbox with delicate leaves and ancient runes carved into the sides. "Can I turn it back now?"

McGonagall examined the box, then set it down. "Please, go ahead."

"Finite Incantatem," I grumbled, aiming at the box. Soon, the mouse was squeaking around on the desk. I nodded politely to the professor. "Good day."

0o0o0

Next was Potions. Unfortunately, Slughorn hated me, so he _had_ to give me the most difficult potion we'd learned. Go figure, it was Herbicide.

"Begin," Slughorn ordered.

I sighed, adding four of the lionfish spines to the mortar, then crushed them using the pestel. I added two measurements of Standard Ingredient, after which I again crushed the ingredients with the pestel. I took three measurements of my mixture and added it to my cauldron, then waved my wand in the necessary pattern, and nodded to Slughorn. "Sir, this needs to brew for 60 minutes. What do you want me to do while I wait?"

"Go to Professor Binns. His exam is an hour long. Return when you're finished."

0o0o0

I stared at the test. _What was the Gargoyle Strike of 1911?_ I rolled my eyes. _Easy,_ I thought. _It was a wildcat strike of gargoyles. At some point the wildcats were winning when something happened. Unfortunately, I cannot say what this event was because Mr. Black and Mr. Potter interrupted the speech Professor Binns was giving before he could tell us what happened._

 _What was the Soap Blizzard of 1378?_ I tried not to laugh. _A blizzard of soap that lead to an economic crash._

 _What year was the Werewolf Code of Conduct developed?_ This time, a quiet chuckle escaped me. _I'm friends with a werewolf. How would I not know this?_ I wrote down, _1637._

After about a hundred more questions like this, I was free to go.

Five more minutes of brewing.

I sprinted down to the dungeons.

0o0o0

Half a minute was remaining when I burst into Professor Slughorn's classroom and ran to the cauldron.

I waited the 30 seconds, then removed the cauldron and ladled out a vial of the potion, handing it to the man. "Here, sir."

Slughorn dumped it over the daisy on his desk. "As much as I dislike you, Miss Baines, you have exceeded my expectations with this potion. Congratulations."

I nodded sheepishly and left the dungeon.

0o0o0

"How bad was it for you?" I asked the other Marauders three hours later, sitting in the library.

"It was okay," Sirius grumbled.

"I think I failed my Potions, Charms, History of Magic, and Transfiguration exams," Pete peeped.

"Pete, that's all of the exams!" I yelped.

"I know," He said dejectedly.

"Pete, I'm sure you did fine," Remus told his pudgy friend.

"I think I did amazing," James boasted.

"I did moderately. I could have done better," Remus admitted. "You?"

"I got complemented by Slughorn on my Herbicide, made the pineapple sing Celestina Warbeck to Flitwick, and made my snuffbox gold. My History of Magic exam was extremely easy, but double and triple checking took up forty five minutes, so the exam took me fifty five minutes," I reported.

James whistled. "Impressive."

I changed into a wolf and barked.


	35. Chapter 35

"Okay, so now you're just showing off," I grumbled. "We know you're an animagus and we're not."

The wolf glanced at Sirius and rolled it's eyes.

"Just change back," Sirius grumbled.

Azalia smiled and changed back. "I'm here. So, what are you doing throughout summer?"

"Transforming," Remus said.

"Being tortured," Sirius said.

Peter shrugged.

"Nothing special. Probably working on quidditch maneuvers for tryouts next year."

Sirius slapped himself. "I completely forgot!"

"You want me to help you?" Azalia asked, inspecting her fingernails.

"You? _Help?"_ I asked. "I've seen you in Flying. You think you can _help?"_

Azalia shrugged. "You think I can't?"

"Pitch in five. We can settle this there."

0o0o0

Azalia appeared at the edge of the pitch, carrying a Nimbus 1700. I glanced at the broom. "A Nimbus?"

"A broom is only as good as its rider," Azalia chided. "Don't knock it before you've seen me fly on it."

"Get on with it!" Sirius shouted.

"Which position do you want me playing?"

"For now, Seeker," I said, pulling out a stopwatch. "If you catch it in under a minute, you can help us."

Azalia rolled her eyes. "Release the Snitch. I'll give it a five minute head start."

Five minutes later, Azalia mounted the broom and waved to James, kicking off.

Fifteen seconds later, she landed, Snitch struggling against her hand. She passed me the golden ball. "Satisfied? Besides, I'm better at Chasing. I play all positions, but Chaser is my favorite and the one I spend most time on."

"When do we meet over vacation?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Whenever you want. Not like I'm making a potion to save Moony's life and working on a _private project."_ Azalia glared at Sirius, and I stared between them.

"What private project?"


	36. Chapter 36

"I'll be seeing you at your house soon," Azalia muttered, stepping off the train and toward her parents. "Make sure you're not dead by then."

"Don't jinx it," I grumbled.

"Charm it, then?" she joked, pointing her wand at me. "Tueri a morte."

"Out of school magic?" I asked.

"Still technically on school grounds," she said, pointing downward. "Train platform."

"Technicalities technicalities," I complained, giving her a parting hug. "Say hello to your mother for me."

"Likewise," she muttered. "I'll see you later."

0o0o0

"Room. Now," Father snapped as soon as he saw me.

"Are you sober?" I asked sarcastically.

Regulus looked at me warningly. _Not now, Sirius._

I shrugged and went up to my room, unpacking and setting my wand by my bed.

I took out my inkwell, a quill, and four pieces of parchment.

First, I wrote to James.

 _Dear James,  
So, summer already? Seems like just yesterday we were boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time. I can't believe our first year has flown by already.  
Although, I suppose having a friend like Azalia _does _help.  
Speaking of which, did we ever find out if she was telling the truth about that bloke being her brother?  
Anyway, are we meeting Az one by one or are we meeting her together so we know how to complement each other's skills?  
Your Gryffindor friend,  
Sirius Orion Black._

Next was Remus.

 _Dear Remus,  
I know we just saw each other, but I wanted to send this letter to you just because it's summer.  
Hang in there, mate. We're there for you, even when we're far apart.  
I'll try to send you chocolate soon.  
Sincerely,  
Sirius Orion Black_

Pete, I didn't know what to write, so I just wrote,

 _Dear Pete,  
Have fun, eat lots, and don't forget to practice the technicalities of magic so you can get better.  
From,  
Sirius Orion Black_

Finally, Azalia.

 _Dear Azalia,  
I don't know how to put this, but I'm desperate.  
Help a bloke out here and visit me soon.  
Can I get an update on the project?  
Your formerly Slytherin mate,  
Sirius Orion Black_

I sighed, calling my owl and sending the letters.


	37. Chapter 37

I looked at the owl tapping at my window. "Sirius, it's the middle of the night!"

Mother shrugged, laughing. "Let the poor thing in."

I sighed, stood up, and opened the door to let the bird in.

 _Dear Azalia,  
I'm don't know how to put this, but I'm desperate.  
Help a bloke out and visit me soon.  
Can I get an update on the project?  
Your formerly Slytherin mate,  
Sirius Orion Black_

I looked up. "Mother, Sirius wants to know when we can go rescue him."

"Tell him as soon as Walburga will let us visit. I'll make up some excuse about helping discipline him," she said absently.

I nodded, dipping my quill in the inkwell closest to me.

 _Dear Sirius,  
Mother says we'll come as soon as your mother lets us visit. If all goes well, we'll be able to borrow you for the rest of the summer to 'discipline' you. I don't know how it'll go through with Walburga, but I think it's worth a try._

I paused, debating what to write next.

 _The project is fine. Godfather still hasn't written back, but any day now, right? Though I worry that Damocles, his work partner, stole the potion and will use it to get an O.M.  
I don't know. As far as we know, we could be steps from getting it right.  
The other project is coming along perfectly. I need to meet with James to talk about it to figure out when we start, and I'll need to make sure there's a way Pete doesn't screw up the steps. Maybe charm the ingredients?  
Anyway, I've cast a charm on you so you don't die... yet... but it's not foolproof, so please don't do anything life-threatening.  
Sincerely,  
Azalia Baines_

I rolled the note up and tied it to the owl. "Send it back to Sirius. Make sure no one else reads this."

The owl screeched, and prepared to take off.

"Wait!" Mother said, handing me an owl treat. "If that owl will be coming here often to deliver notes from Sirius, then you want him to like you. Here."

I held the treat out to the bird, hoping my hand would still be intact. The owl looked at my suspiciously, but grabbed the treat and flew off.


	38. Chapter 38

"So, Walburga, how was your time without your sorry disgrace for a son around?" I asked.

"Perfectly fine, Shafiq, or should I say, Baines?" Sirius's mother smiled darkly. "I'm sorry. I often forget that someone took you for their spouse."

"Better Stanislaw than your cousin," I snarled.

"Really? So tarnishing your bloodline with Muggle blood is better than marrying to keep your line pure?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "You haven't changed at all. Is Orion sober?"

"Why?"

"I would like to make negotiations. I want to take your son for the summer to try to straighten him out. Perhaps convince the professors to change his House?"

"ORION!" she shrieked.

"Wha'?" he slurred, stumbling into the room.

"Rebecca wants to take your eldest to attempt to straighten him out. Perhaps change his House."

"Le' her. Ge' the disgrace ou' of my house."

"Azalia!" I shouted. My daughter appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, Mother?" she asked.

"Take Sirius, get him down here, and we're taking him to ours."

"Yes, Mother!" She eagerly ran to get Sirius.

0o0o0

"Your room is up the stairs, second corridor to the right, third door to the left. Bathroom is second door down the hall from your room, Azalia is between you and the bathroom. Any questions, you ask Azalia."

"Mother," Azalia said.

"Yes?" I asked.

She pulled on my wrist so that I was about her height. "I need to meet with Godfather, and then James, and then I need to get Headmaster's approval to contact Professor Slughorn about an extracurricular project that I'm doing," she whispered.

"I'm sure that can be arranged," I reassured her, kissing her forehead.

She wiped the spot dramatically. " _Mother."_

"Right." I chuckled.

"Come on, Sirius, your stuff is being brought over by Thomas and Regina as we speak. You'll want to unpack," she told her friend.

He followed her to his room.


	39. Chapter 39

**So, me here.**

 **Almost made it to 2,000 views, which is waaaaaaaay more than I ever imagined... so thanks for that.**

 **I'll be skipping some years of their school life, so each year's probably going to be like, two chapters, unless it's important, like Fifth year. Okay?**

 **Okay.**

 **Anyway, back to story. Not supposed to do Author notes.**

 **0o0o0**

"All right," Azalia called. "Sirius, I'm releasing the Bludger. Try to deflect it at me."

I nodded, mounting my broom. "Ready."

"I wasn't asking whether you were ready," she teased, opening the box. "James, I'll be right with you. We can practice tossing, then actually scoring, after which I'll work with you two on common fouls and how to avoid them, rules, tactics, et cetera."

"Got it," I said, agitatedly flying in loops.

"Chill," Azalia yelled to me. "I'm letting it go already."

True to her word, the black ball viciously flew at me. I quickly deflected it away from my face, then watched it repeatedly pulverize a tree.

"Come on, mate," James complained. "Who do you think Mother's going to blame for the ruination of her favorite apple tree?"

"Practice against the tree," Azalia instructed, seemingly oblivious to James's complaints. "I'll be right with you.

James rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Baines."

"No problem. Pass the ball."

There was a thunk, and I hoped it wasn't the Quaffle hitting Azalia in the head.

0o0o0

"Two weeks until we go back," I reminded Azalia.

"I know. Letter should be coming soon. Mother said she'll go buy our supplies so you don't run into your f-"

"Damn it! Reg's starting his first year this year!"

"You'll see him at Hogwarts. It's probably better that you don't 'corrupt' him," she said lightly.

"I know," I muttered, leaning into the couch. "It's just..."

"You're worried about him," Azalia finished. "I know."

"Speaking of brothers, I haven't seen Conrad ever since school."

"Well... um... about that..."

"Azalia," I warned.

"I want to Obliviate you so much, but I can't," she grumbled.

"Can't you tell me?"

"I'll tell you in Seventh year," she said. "Remind me."

"Seventh."

"Seventh," she agreed.

"That's six years from now."

"I know."

My head dropped into my lap. "I have to wait _six years."_

"Yep."

0o0o0

"I'm going to find James, Remus, and Pete," Azalia said. "You go say hi to your family. Be proud of your scarlet and gold."

I smiled, waving to her. "Good thing I'm in my uniform, then."

She grinned. "You're right. Now go. Knock 'em dead."

I walked toward my family. "Hello, Mother, Father." I turned to my brother. "Regulus."

"How was your summer?" Reg asked politely.

"Quiet. Uneventful. I got help with Quidditch, and it was overall great... I can see why you were friends with Rebecca, Mother."

Mother grimaced. "Of course you can."

Reg hugged Mother and Father briefly. "I'll go with him, Mother. Father, please try to avoid drinking."

"So, which house do you want to be Sorted into?"

"Slytherin," he said immediately. "Unlike you, _I'm_ not brave enough to disappoint Mother and Father."

"How was _your_ summer?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Quiet," Regulus mimicked. "Uneventful."

I smiled. "I missed you."

"Missed you too. Kreacher didn't."

"Figures. He never liked me."

"He didn't," my brother agreed. "So, Azalia's a Slytherin?"

"Yeah. Mother was somewhat pleased to hear that I became her friend. She was less pleased to hear that she pranked the entire school."

"Explain to me how she isn't in Gryffindor, the House of stupid idiots?"

"She chose Slytherin."

"Oh." Regulus shrugged. "Okay."

"Would you like to be introduced?" I asked.

"Sure, I suppose."

0o0o0

It took a while, but I finally found the Marauder compartment, with Azalia, Remus, James, and Peter already sitting in there.

I opened the door. "Marauders, meet Regulus. Regulus, this is Azalia, Remus, James, and Peter." Each nodded in greeting when their name was called.

I smiled. "So, plans now that you're technically on school grounds?"

"I thought I'd find Bella and Cissa. Someone I _know."_

As he left, I blinked. "This summer rubbed off on him in the wrong way. Was that passive aggressiveness I heard?"

0o0o0

"So, ideas," I said, looking out the window.

Azalia shrugged James's Invisibility Cloak off her shoulders and peered out the window. "What are tho- Oh. Right. There's _that_ that lets me see thestrals."

I nodded. "Right."

James shrugged. "Ideas... Could we set a troll on the Sl-"

"If you finish that sentence, you'll arrive at Hogwarts with less limbs than a blobfish," Azalia threatened.

"Right." James swallowed nervously. "Then could we set Sl-"

"Nothing involving Slytherin," Azalia snapped.

"Snivellus?" he suggested.

"Like what? Imperiusing him to wash his hair?" Azalia asked sarcastically.

"That's an idea," James said thoughtfully, hand on his chin.

Azalia rolled her eyes. "I'm done here." She vanished back under the Cloak.

0o0o0

When the night ended, Regulus was safely in the Slytherin dorms like the good little Black boy he is.

Not like me.

I turned over to the side of the room where Remus was pretending to sleep. "Hey, Moony."

"Yeah, Sirius?"

"Were your transformations bad?" I asked.

"Worse than usual. I guess I got used to Azalia being there, and I wasn't prepared for facing another moon alone."

"Can I see?"

"Is this an excuse to see me shirtless?" he complained.

"Remus!" I whisper-yelped.

He sighed, then got up and sat down on my bed. "They're bad, Sirius."

"Can't a Tergeo and Episkey fix it?"

"No. We'd need some sort of healing paste. I could ask Azalia to make it tomorrow, but there's no way I could get it tonight."

"Do they hurt?"

"It's like walking back and forth through the fires of hell," Remus deadpanned. "Of course it hurts, idiot!"

"Jeez," I muttered. "No need to bite my head off."

"You're lucky I'm not _literally_ biting your head off," he growled. "I could, you know."

"I know. Now, show me the scars."

He reluctantly took his shirt off, leaving his back exposed.

I traced the many scars gently. "God, Remus. This was all you?"

"Yeah," he murmured. "I got angry. Locked in the cellar again, no company."

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing you could have done."

"I'll do something about it," I said forcefully. "I swear it. I _will_ help you."

"Sirius, don't promise something you can't do."

"I'll do it," I growled in his ear. "Don't believe me?"

"Nope."

"Wait two to four years." I smiled, hoping that Azalia had a plan for this Animagus plan.

0o0o0

"Azalia!" I called after Potions. The Slytherin turned her head toward me.

"Sirius," she greeted. "What is it?"

"When do we begin?"

"I have to ask Sprout for three Mandrake leaves, but I can't tell her why. I'll try to have them ready by the next full moon, because the first step has the Mandrake leaf in the the mouth from full moon to full moon." She nodded quickly, walking away.

"So what were you and Azalia talking about?" Remus asked.

"Oh, nothing. Quidditch."

"Tryouts are in two weeks, right?"

"Yes? Wait, you remembered?"

"How could I not?" he burst out. "It's all you and James would talk about on the way here!"

"Remus..."

"Sirius," Remus said quietly. "I'm sorry for anything I've done, and I'm sorry for that last outburst, I'm just really on edge about something from last year."

"What is it?"

"Something Conrad told me."

"About?"

"Stuff. Honestly, why do you care?"

"You two should kiss already," Azalia said from behind.

I jumped. "How did you get there? Also, no."

"Come on. The sexual tension was so thick I could feel it halfway through the castle."

" _No."_

"Azalia, I need healing paste for my scars."

"I'll go brew that, then I'll get back to our _Moon Plan."_

"Way to be subtle," I grumbled.

0o0o0

A few days later, it was the full moon. Remus had left the dorm several minutes earlier, and Azalia was sitting on his bed. "All right. I'm going to force you three to make an Unbreakable Vow on this."

Pete's head snapped up. "But I don't even know-"

"Peter, please," I said. "Do it."

"I- I- _fine,"_ he whimpered, backing down as I fixed my Black glare at him. "Don't kill me."

Azalia chuckled. "Sirius, will you be Bonder?"

"Of course. This was my idea, wasn't it?"

"Actually, it was mine... but thanks."

James raised his hand. "I'm not sure doing an Unbreakable Vow is a good idea. I mean, we're in Second year!"

"He has a point, Azalia," I agreed.

"It was an extra precaution. I'm not sure some people are able to keep secrets." She glared at Pete.

"What?" he asked.

She shook her head, digging in the bag she'd brought with her. "All right, then." She drew out three Mandrake leaves and gave them to me, James, and Pete. "These go in your mouth and can _not_ be removed for a month."

"Wha-"

"Peter, it's the first step to the Animagus potion. Not easy, but we'll help each other."

" _You_ went through with it when you were eight," I reminded her.

"Seven," she corrected. "And even then, I was Dumbledore-level in Transfiguration."

James whistled. "Gimme the leaf."

"But what if I-"

"Pete, it's not going to fall out. I promise," she said, gripping his hands tightly. "We're going to get you through this."

"How hard is it to keep it in your mouth?"

Azalia shrugged. "My family was very accepting of the fact that I wanted to learn how to change, so they made sure I didn't have to talk, and I got small portions of food that would get down my throat even though the leaf was in the way. However, we need to keep this a secret from Moony, so we could cast invisibility charms on the leaves and sticking charms..."

"All right. Work your magic," I said, glaring at her. "You need to get down to Moony soon."

0o0o0

"So it worked?" I asked the day after. "Can you see it?"

"Nope, I don't see it," Azalia reassured me. "Calm down, Sirius."

"But-"

"Calm. Down."

0o0o0

Finally, a month passed, and it was the full moon again.

As I walked down to the Quidditch pitch with Azalia, clouds covered the moon.

Azalia sighed. "Damn it."

"What?"

"You need to start over. There were clouds."

"Damn it," I agreed.

"Pete and James are already down there."

"How do you get the message to them?"

" _Expecto Patronum_ ," she said quietly, watching the thestral spiral out of her wand. "Go to James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. 'There's clouds. I'm going to help Moony. Sirius will give you the new leaves. Have fun. Standard sticking and invisibility spells. I'll see you tomorrow.'" She dismissed the patronus, and it flew the rest of the way to the pitch.

She nodded to me. "I'll see you around."

0o0o0

Two more of those passed. Two more full moon that had clouds covering them. Two more months of Mandrake leaves stuck in our mouths.

It was torture, let me tell you.

Fortunately, Remus didn't notice anything, and Pete didn't snitch.

Finally, on the fifth leaf, the fifth full moon, the sky was clear. Azalia, James, Pete, and me met in the pitch to get rid of the leaves.

Azalia smiled. "Freedom at last, mates. How are you feeling?"

James took his leaf out and put it into the crystal phial Azalia was holding out toward him. "Fine."

Azalia plucked one of his unruly hairs out and placed it on top of the leaf. James winced. Azalia smirked and dribbled a silver teaspoon of some sort of dew, and some sort of chrysalis. "Pass it. I'll hide them in a place where you won't see them or disturb them. Sirius?"

I did the same, this time plucking out one of my own hairs. "Here." She added the dew and chrysalis, then moved to Pete, who nervously put his leaf in the phial and added one of his hairs. Azalia smiled. "Well, I'll see you around. Remember, every day at sunrise and sunset, say 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus,' tip of your wand to your heart, or you have to start over again, and you're screwed. I'll take the phials with me to the Shack. We can go down next electrical storm."

0o0o0

I stared at Azalia and the letter in her hand. "What does it say?"

"It's asking if we want to go home for the holidays. I don't think we should, since we have the potion brewing and if the electrical storm happens while we're at home then we start over. I'll tell James and Pete to stay ho-"

"No need. We already talked about it. Moony's probably going home though."

"N- actually, that might be better. He won't find out, and we'll be able to go on with the plan."

"So... if there's a storm, where do we meet up?"

"Go to the Potions classroom as soon as it starts. I'll be there, and I'll take you to the place the potions are hidden. Okay?"

"Got it." I saluted her.

"Stop that."

0o0o0

The holidays passed quickly, with no storm.

I got another Muggle band shirt from Azalia, a book on trick charms, hexes, and jinxes from Remus, dungbombs from James, and candy from Pete.

Finally, I got sick of sitting around doing nothing, so I went to the hidden Potions lab behind Merlin.

He glared at me, but swung open once I said, "Live by risk, die by reward."

"Azalia?"

"In the western corner, taking notes about the newest explosions in the enhanced Veritaserum-Amortentia. Tincture of Demiguise obviously doesn't react well with this, though Slughorn will probably roll his eyes when I tell him that one."

"How long until the next electrical storm?"

"I'll ask the centaurs tomorrow," she said sarcastically. "I don't know, Sirius."

"So uptight," I grumbled. "It's the middle of the night. Why aren't you asleep?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Couldn't sleep," I said. "Worried about Moony. Full moon was five days ago."

"Yeah," she agreed absently, peering into the cauldron. "Sooner you finish the transformation, sooner he's safe. I can ask Mother to ask Lyall if I could stay over on full moons to help him, and you can work with him during school, or we can all go during school." She smiled. "I'll be seeing you, Sirius. I need to be alone."

"Merry Christmas," I said, walking out of the room. Then, on second thought, I walked back in. "I almost forgot."

"What?"

"I know you probably don't need help, but I can help pull some strings in your many plans. For example, the dragon reserve."

"I don't think I'll need it, but thanks, Sirius. Support is enough, and it's what you four give me all the time." She smiled, giving me a brief hug. "I'll see you around."


	40. Chapter 40

No electrical storm, Remus was still a werewolf, and exams were creeping up on us.

Remus was stressing out, Azalia was calmly trying to help him, and Pete was running around tearing his hair out because he thinks he'll fail. Then there's me and James. Those who aren't worried at all, and not studying because we've got better things to do.

0o0o0

It was the day after exams, and still no electrical storm.

Nothing.

 _No matter,_ I reminded myself, touching my wand to my heart. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

"Sirius?"

I jumped in the air. "God, Azalia!"

"Not Azalia," Remus murmured. "Why were you casting the Animagus spell?"

"Practice for when I'm older," I lied.

"So why are James and Pete doing the same thing?" he asked.

"Same reason."

"Sirius, if this is your way to help me, please don't."

"Remus, it's too late. They're already more or less halfway through. Already at the electrical storm part," Azalia said from behind us.

"Was this your idea?"

"He asked me to," she said.

"You suggested it!" I protested.

"You agreed to it," she deadpanned.

"No matter. Both of you are idiots, and I have no idea how I got sorted into Gryffindor instead of you, Azalia."

"Well..."

"You know what? I'm not even going to ask."

"Good choice," she said. "Now that you know, you may as well help me keep them from dy-"

"I have a better idea."

"Sirius, no!"

"I'm not changing my mind," I said. "Remus, I'm sorry."

"Wha-"

" _Obliviate!"_ I shouted, wand pointing at him.

"Sirius!" Azalia scolded me. "Why?"

"Can't have him finding out. He'll kill us!"

"He can't. Marauders don't kill their own."

"Not on purpose, but if he gets loose on a full moon-"

"Azalia, look at me," I said.

She shook her head. "Sirius, this was reckless. You're twelve. We haven't been properly taught how to cast memory charms. What if you've permanently screwed his memory?"

"Well then... I actually don't know."

I heard her sigh. "Respice in cerebri."

"What?"

"It's a brain scanning spell. I want to make sure you didn't mess anything up." After a moment, she breathed out in relief. "Thank God. Everything's fine."

"Good."

"I agree," she said, levitating him. "Now if you don't mind, I think that we should get him to the library so he can feel more normal and less confused. That's where he was earlier, after all."

0o0o0

The rest of the year passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to board the Hogwarts Express.

"So what are we doing this time?"

"Well, I think that you're off to yours, try not to die, I'll try to pick you up, and I'll help you and James make the team this time."

"Are you trying out?"

"Probably. I'll be off to Moony's today for a while because of the moon... so I won't be around much, since we want to stop him from having many scars..."

"I understand," I said, slinging my luggage off the rack above our heads. "See you soon, Lupa."


	41. Chapter 41

"Azalia, Damocles wants to meet with you, would you mind Flooing there?"

"I'm more comfortable with apparation," I called back to Mother. "That okay?"

"Have you been to the preserve before?"

"That's a good point." I frowned. "I'll take Floo."

0o0o0

"Took you long enough," Damocles said, pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Sorry. Got held up on the crossroads. You know how intercontinental Floo travel is."

"Of course. Miss Baines, please sit down."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I just want to talk to you about your potion."

"The Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes. That's the one."

"What about it?"

"Ingredients."

"Why do you ask?"

"Just out of curiosity. We have so many werewolves, we've already run out after the last full moon."

"Positive results?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't have to tell you anything. They were just tests."

"Imperio," he snarled.

I tried to throw the curse off, but failed, and I found myself reacting to the unspoken command. _Tell me the ingredients._

"Full moon aconite, dittany, powdered moonstone, crushed moonseed, and a preference of valerian root," I said.

"Thank you, Miss Baines," he said, lifting the curse.

"What?"

"Obliviate."

"Wh-" I fell backward into the chair I was sitting in.

0o0o0

"Azalia!" someone shouted. "Azalia!"

"God, Sirius. I'm not dead. My ears still work."

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

"You went to talk to Damocles. I think it was about the potion-"

"Sirius, what potion are you talking about?"

"The potion you made to help Remus during his transformations! You sent a sample to your godfa-"

"Sirius, I would remember this. However, I don't. You must have imagined it."

"Do you at least remember the Animagus project?"

"Of course. _That_ is true, at least."

"Azalia-"

"No more, Sirius. The only potions I've ever made are my Enhanced line. I don't know what you're talking about."

As I drifted off to sleep, his thoughts were, _a Memory charm. That must have been what happened._


	42. Chapter 42

No thunderstorm.

Not even a raindrop.

Not for the first three months, anyway.

Then, right before Christmas holidays, it happened.

At 7 PM, it started to thunder. I nodded to James, who elbowed Pete. I stood up and walked to the dungeons, like Azalia had told us to several months ago.

She was pacing the floor in front of the Potions classroom. "Took you long enough. I've been waiting here for half an hour."

"Sorry. Needed to get out one at a time so Moony didn't get suspicious."

"It's okay," she dismissed, leading us through a series of winding corridors.

"Where are we going?" I asked after a while.

She stopped in front of a blank wall. "Zmiana," she murmured, watching a door appear.

"How many secret rooms are there that you know about?"

"Untraceable or otherwise?" she asked innocently.

I rolled my eyes. "Just give us the potions."

She took out the three phials. "All right, when did you not recite the incantation?"

"What?"

"There should be a blood red potion in each of these phials. All three of them have the original experiments. When did you forget to recite the spell?"

We looked down at our feet. "Summer?" I asked.

"Oh my God," she sighed, pulling open another door. "Give me a moment. I'll get more leaves."

I sighed.

0o0o0

"Leaves still out?"

"What?"

"It wasn't the full moon yesterday," she said, rolling her eyes. "The leaves go in during a full moon. Spit 'em out."

"Damn it," I grumbled.

"Spit," she reminded.

I spit the leaf out.

"Incendio," she murmured, pointing her wand at the leaf. The leaf curled up and burst into flame.

0o0o0

Four days later, Azalia handed us another leaf. "These go in tonight."

I accepted the leaf she handed me with a sigh. "How many more times?"

"As many as it takes," she said solemnly.

"Got it," I grumbled. "Let's hope for a positive result this time."

"Let's," she agreed. "In the meantime, don't forget the charms."

"Invisibility and sticking?" I asked.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Good to see you remembered."

0o0o0

One month later, guess what? CLOUDS. I sighed, spit my leaf out, and walked to the dungeons.

Taking the right turns, I arrived at the wall and said, "Zmiana."

The door appeared, but with no knob, and a sign that said, _Sorry, Mr. Black, but only I can open this door successfully. I'll give you a leaf next full moon. Enjoy your month._

I cursed Azalia and her brilliant charms, but understood that it was a safety precaution if Snivellus or Reg saw us going in.

Or any of the other Slytherins, for that matter.

I ran back up to the Marauders dorm.

"Hey, Sirius," James said, looking up from his Transfiguration essay. "Where were you?"

I handed him a leaf. "Where do you think?"

Pete sighed. " _Again?"_

"I'm getting sick of them too. Hopefully, this is the last time."

0o0o0

Another month passed, and this time, the moon was fully out. No clouds. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Azalia pounded on the Gryffindor portrait. "Black!"

"Coming, coming," I said, walking toward the portrait hole.

Azalia almost walked into me, but stopped short. "Get the others and get to the pitch. Now."

I sprinted back up the stairs to my dorm, bowled over James, and tripped on Pete.

As we lay in a heap, James asked, "What's up?"

"It's a clear night, and it's the full moon!"

The Potter immediately sat up. "Get up! Off of the floor!"

"Azalia wants us at the pitch. Now."

James nodded and sprinted down to the location I had told him. I shrugged and looked at Pete, who was already trying to run after the hazel-eyed boy.

0o0o0

"Take two," Azalia sighed, handing us each a vial, which already contained the dew and the Death's-Head hawk moth cocoon. I pulled out one of my hairs and added it to the vial, then spit the leaf out. I corked the vial and handed it back to her.

"Here."

James and Pete handed her theirs and I was about to leave when Azalia reminded me, "'Amato Animo Animato Animagus.'"

"Yes, Azalia," we chorused."


	43. Chapter 43

"Did you cast the charm?" I pestered the Marauders every day.

And every night.

Every day, I got the same answer. "Yes, Azalia, leave me alone."

Fortunately, the storm took place before we left for summer (though on a full moon, which was bad, since I wouldn't be with Remus to stop him from hurting himself), and I met up with Sirius, Pete, and James at the door. "Zmiana," I whispered, leading them in.

This time, the potion was blood red and inside the vial. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God you did it right this time."

I handed them each our potion, and led them to a door that didn't lead to the Merlin lab.

We entered a room the size of the Great Hall.

"One more time, say the incantation, wand to your heart, then drink."

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus," they chorused.

"Cheers," Sirius said, clinking his vial with James and Pete's. They drank.

I smiled, collecting their wands.

Their eyes glazed over, and I knew that they were feeling the double heartbeat that came with this step. They fell to the ground, and Sirius gasped in pain.

I didn't move to help them. They had to go through this on their own.

The boys shrank to their newly discovered Animagus forms, and in the place of James stood a stag, Sirius the dog I recognized as Padfoot, and Peter a rat.

I was concerned about Pete's new form.

James shook his head and charged a wall.

Sirius and Pete tried to jump out a window.

I rolled my eyes and changed. _CALM!_ I howled.

Sirius froze and slunk into a corner, tail between his legs. Pete squeaked in fear and his behind Sirius.

James kept charging at the wall.

I howled loudly, and James turned to me, his eyes wide and panicked.

I changed back. "Visualize yourself as human again."

Sirius quickly padded away from the rat.

After fifteen minutes of intense concentration on their part, they finally changed back.

I smiled, handing them their wands back. "I want you to meet at the Merlin lab next month at the full moon. Remember to stay calm, and I'll see you tomorrow during classes. I trust you not to kill yourselves at practices with me not here."

0o0o0

Remus winced when I came into his section of the hospital wing. "Where were you last night?"

"I'm sorry, Moony. I was busy doing something else."

"Something more important than helping me not kill myself?"

"Well-"

"It's okay. I get it. Helping me stay alive gets old after a while." He smiled sadly. "I guess not even Animagi are able to stay in the company of a werewolf for three years."

"Remus, that's not how it is!"

"Explain how it is, then." He turned away from me.

"Remus, I'm trying to help you!"

"By letting me scratch myself to near-death? How, pray tell, is that _helping_ me?"

"Remus-"

"Save it," he muttered. "Go tell Sirius. I've seen how close you are."

"Remus!" Sirius shouted, running into the hospital wing. "What happened?"

"Ask Baines. She's the reason."

"For the last time, Remus-"

"Azalia, we can't tell him."

"He _would_ know but-"

"Azalia, it's important that he doesn't know."

"Why? So it can be like that potion you thought up?" I snapped.

"I didn't 'think it up!' It's a real potion! I have the letter you wrote me about it!"

"Show me," I said coldly.

"Meet me at the lab."

"I was in the lab. There's no strange potion that could help Remus with his transformation!"

Remus sat up. "Azalia, there _is._ You've been working on it since First year. You sent samples of it to your godfather's preserve so they would be the ones to keel over dead if the potion failed. I don't know what happened, but it _is_ real."

"Then why don't I remember it?"

"Have you ever heard of _Obliviate?"_ the werewolf asked.

"Have I-" I glared at Sirius. "Of course I have. Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," the auburn-haired boy said sarcastically. "Maybe because you didn't think that your memories of the potion may have been erased?"

"I would know," I snapped.

"That's not how memory charms work."

0o0o0

Months passed, and each full moon, James, Sirius, and Peter met in the lab. I had granted Sirius access to the lab, since he was the one I trusted most. Meanwhile, I went to keep Remus company in the Shrieking Shack.

"I want to know why you and the others are up to," Remus said one night after his transformation, panting after the rough night of me keeping him from running out of the building.

"Nothing!" I lied again.

"Azalia, I'm not stupid."

"You'll kill us."

"No I won't."

"I'll tell you in Fifth year, okay?"

"Why Fifth?"

"Because!" I grumbled.

"Fine. Fifth."


	44. Chapter 44

"Mother!" I called down the stairs.

"Yes, Azalia?"

"Can I get a tattoo?"

"Why?"

"Some apparently enhance magical ability, and if I want to do everything on the List, then I need all the power I can get."

"I fully support anything you do, just don't cover your entire body!"

"Can I get wings?"

"Maybe a feather beneath them, a Celtic knot on your chest, and an Inguz rune on your ankle?" she asked sarcastically.

"That's actually a great idea."

"Azalia, that's not what I-"

"Wasn't Father a tattoo artist once?"

"Azalia, this is a horrible idea-"

"Do you prefer I inscribe the symbols into myself?" I asked.

"Azalia!"

"Mother, please-"

"Fine!" She sighed. "Merry Christmas."

"So this is my present?"

"You're fourteen and I'm letting you get a tattoo. I'd say you should be thanking me and not complaining."

"I'm not complaining!"

"Get something that's appropriate."

"Wings, feather, Inguz, Celtic knot," I recited.

"Azalia!"

I laughed. "Yes, Mother."

"No Inguz!" she shouted.

I rolled my eyes and disapparated.

0o0o0

"Azalia?"

"Yes?" I asked, unconcerned.

"What is this?" Remus asked, pointing to where my shirt collar moved to the side and my Celtic knot was visible.

"Do you have something against tattoos, Remus?" I asked.

"No! I just wanted to know why."

"The wings symbolize freedom, the single feather symbolizes loneliness, and the Celtic knot symbolizes the relationship between all life. In addition, the Skítrún means 'create your own reality. Malin tattoo on my ankle means that I'll have to face setbacks to go forward."

"And?"

"I don't know. Reminds me of my life."

"Lonely freedom watching life interact?"

"Exactly," I muttered, glancing out the window.

"Remus!" Sirius shouted, coming into our compartment. "Look at this!"

"Since when do you read the Prophet?" I asked.

"I wasn't, but I saw this and-"

I grabbed the newspaper. "Potioneer Damocles Belby creates semi-cure for werewolf transformation, page 1F."

"He works with your godfather, doesn't he?"

"Yes," I said, scanning 1F. "So he earned an Order of Merlin for this potion?"

"Yup."

"Is there a problem?"

"Is there a memory transfer potion? Or a memory revive?"

"To give back memories taken by Obliviate?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Da retro memorias," I said. "Why?"

" _Da retro memorias,"_ Sirius mused, pointing his wand at me.

I gasped as a small gap in the vacation between Second and Third year filled. "That evil bastard!"

"You remember, then?"

"He got the Order of Merlin because of _my_ potion!"

"She remembers," Remus said. "She can brew it!"

"Guys, um... there's an issue."

"Yes?"

"Eh..." I swallowed nervously. "At some point, maybe sometime during me being under the Imperius, he forced me to agree never to repeat the ingredients or brew the potion. And knowing him, the potion will be really expensive so he gets rich. I'm sorry, Remus."

The rest of the trip passed in silence. James and Pete sat somewhere else, apparently.


	45. Chapter 45

Every month, Pete, Sirius, and I went to the large room and practiced our transformations. Azalia went to keep Remus company in the Shack.

I couldn't wait to be there with them.

"How long until we can do it wandless?" I muttered, changing back to human.

"I'd say that the beginning of next year is a good estimate," Azalia said from the entrance. "Guys, it's almost time for classes to start."

"What happened to your skin?"

"What, these?" she asked, pulling her shirt collar aside minimally, showing me her ankle, and gesturing to her back and wrist.

"Yes."

"Tattoos, Potter. I bet you anything Sirius will end up with some by the time he's twenty."

"Then he'll go to Azkaban too?" I asked sarcastically.

"Unfortunately, that's how it looks," she said seriously.

"Azalia!"

"What? It's true."

"Azalia, he's _right there,"_ I grumbled, pointing to Sirius.

"Sorry, Sirius."

0o0o0

"I have a question," Sirius said.

"Yeah?" I asked, not looking away from Evans.

"James!" Azalia shouted.

"What?" I asked, irritated.

"If Azalia is Lupa and Remus is Moony, should the rest of us get nicknames too?"

"Ours are because of our other forms, so you'd have..." Azalia snapped her fingers. "Sirius be Padfoot, James be Prongs, and Pete be Wormtail!"

"What? How'd you get that?" I asked.

"What, do you not like them?"

"No, no, they're fine, it's just... you came up with them quite quickly."

"As with everything, I'll tell you in Seventh. Right now, focus on getting better."

0o0o0

"How's it coming along?" Azalia asked, walking up behind me.

"Eh," Sirius said.

I couldn't have put it better. Seven months had passed (It was March), and we _still_ couldn't do wandless!

"You're fourteen and fifteen. Tell me you weren't expecting to get it right away."

"I... I wasn't?" I asked, not knowing what to say.

She laughed, the sound echoing through the empty room. "Hilarious, Prongs."

"So, Lupa, anyway, is there any way to get us to Moony sooner?"

"Padfoot, please. Patience."

Sirius sighed. "Please don't get me started on patience."

"Padfoot, patience is important."

"Not sure his family knows what it is," I joked, and immediately received a painful blow on my cheek. "Ow!"

"James, please don't start."

"So... four more months?"

"About. Four or five." Azalia smiled. "Sadly, that time will pass by slowly."

0o0o0

"Now?" Azalia asked.

"No," Sirius, Pete, and I chorused.

"Now?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"You do realize you literally asked us five seconds ago?" Sirius- _Padfoot-_ asked.

"I know." She waited a while, then, "Now?"

0o0o0

Exams, like always flew by. R- Moony staying up until midnight to study, Wormtail eating everything (stress eating, I guess), me and Padfoot being, as Lupa put it, 'aloof, lazy and irritating buggers.'

Still no luck with the wandless transformations, though.

"How long did it take _you?"  
_

"About a year, I think. So 'bout the time it'll take you."

"Except you were several years younger than us."

"I was also more magically advanced than most Seventh years. Still am, to be honest."

I sighed. This was going to be a long summer.


	46. Chapter 46

I walked up to what, or rather, _who,_ the professors were calling the 'Potter Twins.' Padfoot and Prongs. "Any luck?"

"To the lab," Padfoot said breathlessly, and bounded off, shoving a squealing rat into his pocket.

"Was that Peter?" I asked, gesturing at Sirius's retreating figure.

Prongs chuckled. "Why aren't you in Ravenclaw again?"

I rolled my eyes, then started after the Black 'traitor.'

0o0o0

"So? What did you want to talk to me about?" I called into the seemingly empty lab.

"Nothing much. When's the next full moon?" Prongs asked from behind me.

"I think it's in eight days. Why?"

James handed me his wand. "Padfoot, Wormtail, you do the same."

Two wands hurtled at me from the darkness of the room.

"Now, three, two one..."

Sirius and Pete stepped into the light, then, alongside James, changed into their animal forms.

I smiled. "I guess you're coming with me?"

Padfoot barked. I smiled and rubbed behind his ears. "Feel good?"

Prongs butted my shoulder, and Wormtail scampered up my arm to my shoulder and bit my ear. I knocked him off, and he hit the wall with a thunk.

0o0o0

"All right, full moon tonight," I whispered. "Meet outside the Whomping Willow at 8."

"Got it," they hissed, Padfoot subtly pointing to Moony walking next to us.

I nodded. "Hey, Moony."

"Yes?" he asked absently, continuing to walk to Transfiguration.

"We have a prank to plan for Halloween, right?"

"The entire school?" he grumbled.

"If you wouldn't mind," Padfoot said, 'padding' up behind us.

"When did _you_ learn to be so quiet?" Remus asked him.

I subtly sent him a universal message we call 'shut up.'

0o0o0

"All right," I said, panting from the run down to the Willow. "Moony's already inside. I'll go first, then I'll Padfoot and Padfoot'll tell you when to go in. Got it?"

They nodded and changed. I smiled. "Pete, that knob on the trunk freezes the tree. Could you?"

He squeaked and took off running through the branches.

I smiled. "Agility gets a ten."

0o0o0

 _Moony!_ I howled.

 _Alpha came?_ he huffed. _Wasn't here lately._

 _Sorry,_ I barked. _I want you to meet three new members of our pack._

 _Pack?_

I barked to Padfoot, and the black dog sheepishly padded into the room, followed by Prongs and Wormtail. _Moony,_ Sirius greeted.

 _Who?_

 _Padfoot, Prongs, Wormtail,_ I explained, nodding to each in turn.

 _Little one Omega. Others hunters._

 _Moony,_ I growled warningly. _Not up to you._

He cowered into a corner, eyes wide. _Alpha-_

 _No,_ I huffed, amused. _No more Alpha. No more ranks. All equal._

He smiled wolfishly. _Equal?_

I grinned, batting his ear playfully.

0o0o0

The other three had a lot of fun playing with Moony for the next few hours, until the moon set.

Moony changed back into Remus, leaning against the wall. "Azalia?"

I changed back, gesturing for the other animagi to stay in their forms. "Yes, Rem?"

"There was a dog... and a stag... and a... a rat?"

"Yes."

"Who...?

I smiled. "You know very well who."

They stepped out of the shadows.

"No I don't."

I sighed. "Well, it _is_ Fifth. I promised."

"Yes. Yes, you did."

"Sirius," Sirius changed back, bowing, "James," James rolled his eyes and changed back, leaning against the wall, "and Pete." Peter squeaked and ran to stand beside James before changing.

"You did this to accompany me?"

They nodded. Sirius edged closer to the young werewolf. "You're not mad?"

"This is the second-best news I ever got!" he exclaimed.

0o0o0

"So... what are we going to do for the prank?"

"Polyjuice," I smirked. " _Enhanced_ Polyjuice. 1 day length of change."

"Who to?"

"The professors."

"McGonagall goes as Slughorn, Slughorn as Flitwick, Dumbledore as Bi-"

"We can't include Binns, he's a _ghost!"_

"So Binns is out. Could we do Dumbledore as Sprout, Sprout as Rosen, and Rosen as McGonagall?"

"I think that covers it," I agreed. "Doesn't Rosen do double subjects?"

"Imagine. McGonagall teaching Divination."

"Flitwick teaching Potions!" Sirius cackled.

"I won't be able to help, sorry. We're doing this around Halloween?"

"Yes. Night of."

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"I'm... busy."

"But the full moon is eleven days before!"

"Recovery. Also, midterm studying."

I sighed. "Right. Christmas, then?"

"Full moon's a week before Christmas. I'd have to ask Mother and Father, but I think it would be okay with them."

"Great. But... if we do it for Christmas then one, not everyone will see it, two, they won't be teaching."

"Bugger that. We're doing Christmas."

"Lovely."

"And besides, you _did_ say the whole school for Halloween."

"Can we enchant some of Hagrid's pumpkins to grow legs and act like spiders during the feast?"

My eyes widened. "James, that is brilliant."

"I know."


	47. Chapter 47

I woke up to fur against my legs. "Padfoot?"

The fur stirred, and Sirius was sitting at the foot of my bed. "Hey, Moony."

"What's wrong?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"And why come to me?"

"Do you have a Dreamless Sleep potion?"

I sighed. "You woke me up to ask me for a potion." He nodded. "Fine. Bottom of my trunk in the silver box."

"Thanks, Moony!"

I rolled my eyes. "You owe me one."

0o0o0

"So." Azalia said, walking up behind me.

"So?" I asked. "So what?"

"How are you?"

"Lovely. There's no spell we could use for the prank James thought up."

"No spell yet, you mean."

"Excuse me?"

"Pine wands are surprisingly willing to try new and recently invented spells, Moony. Lucky for me, I have a pine wand. Do you have a quill?"

I reluctantly handed her one. "Why?"

"Crescere pedes," she whispered. Eight legs grew out of the spine of the feather. It twitched. "Vivamus aranea." It jumped up and started scampering around her arm. I yelped. She laughed. "Finite Incantatem."

"What... was... that?" I panted, gripping the wall for support.

"The spell you were missing."

0o0o0

The weeks came and went, and finally, it was Halloween. I had to listen to James and Sirius talk about some crush Sirius had developed. All. The. Time. Conversations usually went something like this:

Peter was strangely unimpressed. " _Another_ one?"

"This one's different," Sirius insisted.

"Different how?"

"Well, they're not a dim-witted, me-obsessed, creepy stalker like all the others I've dated."

"Now, where'd you manage to find a nice girl like her?" I asked.

Sirius stiffened. "At Hogwarts."

"Tell me it isn't Azalia."

He mimed vomiting. "That's like liking you or James or hell, even Pete!"

"Fair point. But she's a girl. We aren't."

"I... I have homework." He dashed up to the dorm.

"I'll go help him," James said quickly.

I turned to Pete. "That was weird."

"Them doing homework?"

"Exactly."

I hung out with Azalia, asking for her help in figuring out who the mystery girl was.

She kept avoiding the topic by talking about homework.

I was getting sincerely sick of it.

Halloween.

Halloween didn't exactly go as planned. Sure, we managed to get the charms working, and sure, we freaked everyone (except Professor Dumbledore, obviously) out with the giant spiders, but it also backfired.

We got detention for the rest of the semester, and James, Sirius, and Pete had to get new rooms for the time being. We were also going to be closely monitored and would not be allowed to spend time together. At all.

 _Great,_ I thought. _Just great._ At least Azalia wasn't included in the punishment. Go figure.

0o0o0

"Azalia, can you ask Sirius who the girl is?"

"I already know."

"Who is it?"

"I can't say."

"Why would he tell you and not me?"

"Who said he told me?"

"What do you-"

"Slytherins aren't as good of finders as Hufflepuffs, but we can manipulate people around us to get answers without them realizing," she explained.

"Wow."

"In other words-"

"Sirius keeps a diary and you read it?"

"No!"

"So who is it?"

She threw a book at me.


	48. Chapter 48

November.

The full moon was on the nineteenth.

It was an... interesting... night.

0o0o0

It started off like any night when you're drunk. Everything's blurry, you bump into everything and everyone, and you, to put it quite simply, you're either a bastard or you're hilarious and make everyone laugh.

I'm the bastard type.

To put it simply, I'd snagged some firewhiskey- strong stuff- from Three Broomsticks and was drinking it by the Lake.

Once everything was drained, I attempted to Vanish the empty bottles and stumbled up to the castle.

And, Snivellus found me.

0o0o0

"Drunk again, Black?" he asked from behind me.

"Sni'llus."

His wand dug into my spine. "Show me a way out of the castle and I won't tell anyone you were drunk... again."

Mind cloudy, I realized this would be a great time to get revenge for his friendship with Evans and how depressed it was making Prongs. "Whomp'ng W'llow. Press 'e knot. Stops branchesss. T'nnel leads to Hogsm'de."

"Thanks, Black," he said, removing his wand and hiding it in his sleeve.

As he walked off, I began thinking, _oh, Christ, what have I done?_

0o0o0

I banged on the wall where I thought the door to the dorms was. "Azalia!"

Nothing.

"Azalia!"

Zip.

"AZALIA!"

"You're going to wake everyone in the castle up, Pads," she said from the shadows behind me. "Calm down. What's up?"

"Sni'llus. Moooooony. Full mooooon."

She tossed me a bottle. "Drink."

I chugged the potion. "I really am drunk, aren't I?"

"Yep. So, tell me the story."

"Snivellus. I told him about the tunnel. Moony's going to kill him!"

"Tell James to meet me at the Willow."

"But-"

"The potion sobered you up slightly. You're in no condition to help. Get James."

"Yes, Azalia."

0o0o0

"James!" I hissed.

"WhaddjawantPadfoot?" he slurred.

"Wake up!"

"Whaaaaaaaaa-?"

"Moony's gonna be a murderer if you don't!"

He bolted upright. "What?!"

"I made a mistake. _Please,_ Prongs. You know how important this is to me. Please!"

"Tell me Azalia's helping."

"She wants you by the Willow."

James slung out of bed and stood up. "Hey," he said, laying a hand on my shoulder. "This is a really brave thing you're doing."

"You know why I'm doing it."

"I do." He smiled faintly. "And I'm glad you told me. I'm not going to let him kill anyone."

"Thank you!"

"Now get to your dorm before McGonagall has our arses."


	49. Chapter 49

"Hey Prongs."

"Hey Lupa," he replied breathlessly. "You go first?"

"I'll howl when I need you," I said, nodding and changing, then loping off through the tunnel.

0o0o0

Fortunately, Severus hadn't entered the room yet.

I ran up to him and changed back. "You can't go in there!"

"Baines?"

"No time to explain," I snapped. "Just do as I say if you want to stay alive!" I changed and howled.

Immediately, James came sprinting down the corridor. "What's up?"

"Stay here with Snape," I said. "I'll try to calm him- _it-_ down."

0o0o0

 _You said you'd be here,_ Moony growled, advancing. His language had gotten better as he'd grown, so now I could understand him easier. _The entire pack was supposed to be here. Where were you?_

 _I couldn't make it. I'm sorry, Moony._

 _Sorry?_ he snarled. _And you bring_ humans _here? What were you thinking?_

 _I didn't bring him here! I'm trying to keep him away!_

He howled, lunging at my leg, trying to bite it. I danced out of the way, barely avoiding the snapping jaws of the werewolf. He immediately attacked again, raking his claws across my side and grabbing my left hind leg in his teeth, dragging me into a corner where it would be harder for me to defend myself. _You always apologize. You always say it isn't your fault. When is it going to end?_

 _Moony-_

 _No!_ he snarled. _I'm sick of having to pretend like everything's all right! You_ promised! _How many broken promises will I have to go through for you to have your happy ending?_ Another deep scratch joined my growing number of bleeding wounds.

And during the next few hours, even more were added.

Finally, mercifully, it all ended. The sun rose, Remus changed back, James ran into the room, followed by a clumsy Padfoot.

"Azalia!" Prongs yelped.

I winced. "Not so loud."

"Padfoot, I want Blood Replenishing. Check my bag."

"There's no use," I whispered. "Just leave."

Remus just glared at me from the corner, staying silent.

"Azalia, we're not going to let you die! You helped save someone's life, and you're not going to die because of it. _Episkey. Ferula."_

I felt something being poured down my throat. I coughed it up. "If my life is _that_ important to you, then get me to Pomfrey."

0o0o0

"What happened?" the woman asked.

"Werewolf," I choked out. Remus had gone on to classes, and Wormtail didn't know anything about last night. The only people here were James and Sirius.

"Who?"

"R... Remus," I coughed.

"Drink," she said quietly. "Boys, you can go to classes. Miss Baines will be there as soon as she's better."

0o0o0

'As soon as she's better' meant two weeks. Two loooooong weeks.

"You two may as well sleep in here," I grumbled. "On second thought, I may have to ask Pomfrey to change your sleeping arrangements, if you want."

"Moony's retreated from us."

"I know," I sighed. "James, could I talk to Sirius for a moment?"

He nodded.

"Alone," I added. "Go chase Evans or something."

He sighed. "Fine." He left.

"So?"

"I know you like Moony in that way. However hard this is for me, it's harder for you. I get that. And I'm impressed how well you're getting through this."

"Azalia-"

"I've known since First."

"How-"

"Tell you in Seventh."

"You better live that long."

I smiled. "I swear, Padfoot, I _will_ get you a kiss from Moony if it's the last thing I do."

"Let's not make it the last thing you do."

I coughed, smiling. "Now, about those sleeping changes..."

0o0o0

"Remus-"

Silence.

"Remus, you can't ignore us forever."

Nothing.

"Remus, I get you're mad, and I get that you may not want us to talk to you, but can you at least tell me _why?"_

A letter slid out through the space underneath the door.

 _Dear Azalia-  
This is as tough on me as it is on your guys, but I need a break from it all. Last moon was really hard on me and everyone's noticed something is off with me. I'm trying to get through this, but let me get through it alone. I'll talk to you when I'm ready to talk. No sooner.  
Sincerely,  
Remus  
P.S. Tell Sirius to bugger off and I'm not going to talk to him until I feel like it._

"Thanks, Remus," I said, tracing the faint teardrops on the letter. "Don't forget to eat."

There was a choked laugh from the other side of the door. "I won't."

0o0o0

"Remus."

I shook my head. _Sirius, this isn't a good idea._

Remus walked on.

"Remus!" Sirius shouted, running toward the werewolf. "Remus!"

Remus's wand was in his arm instantly. "Did you not get the message? I don't want to talk to you, Black!" he snarled, wand pressing into Sirius's throat. "I'm sick of forgiving you for something you'll do over and over and over again without _trying_ to change! You think this separation thing isn't hard on me? You're wrong! I'm having a harder time adjusting to being alone than all of you combined!" The wand was visibly leaving marks on Sirius's throat. "Just leave me be!"

Sirius let out a pained gasp, and shocked, Remus backed away before running off.

"Sirius?" I asked.

The Black heir curled up into a ball, sobbing.

"Find Regulus!" I shouted. "Bring him here!"

Several minutes later, Sirius's brother ran down the hall. "Azalia? What is it?"

"I need your help."

"What with?"

I gestured downward. "I think it's some sort of panic attack. Can you help?"

"It was only a matter of time," Regulus said absently, crouching down next to his brother. "Hey, Sirius."

"Father... he... he's trying to..." Sirius let out a moan. "It hurts, Reg. Help me."

"Azalia, we need somewhere he can be alone!"

"Tell me this isn't what I think it is."

"Orion and Walburga found out he's gay. Along with being in Gryffindor, those are enough to make them want to kill him. I'm surprised he's survived this long."

"Won't being alone trigger him even more?"

"Just get me to a room!"

"Professor Dumbledore!" I shouted.

"Miss Baines?"

"Lift the anti-Apparation wards, please! I need to get Sirius to the Merlin lab!"

"Quickly, then."

I grabbed hold of Regulus's arm and Sirius's shoulder and Apparated to the lab.

0o0o0

"Thanks for coming," I said. "I understand that this isn't exactly fun for you."

"Father wants me to be 'nice' to the Slytherin girls who I'm available to."

"I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your choice. Let's just help Sirius."

0o0o0

"Azalia?"

"Hush," I said. "Sirius, you're fine."

"That was quite a scare you gave me, big brother," Regulus grumbled from the corner.

"Reg!"

"Hey, Sirius."

I handed Sirius a potion. "May want to take this before you get out of bed. You had a pretty bad breakdown."

He swallowed the potion greedily. "I'm... sorry?"

"Don't be. We're getting you out of there soon. I swear."

"Lot of promises from you lately. Hope you can keep all of them."

"I will."

"Thanks," he said, sitting up. "Reg, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here."

"Bye, Sirius."

"See you around."

0o0o0

"Forgiving and forgiving and forgiving. How much forgiving do I have to do?" Remus groaned from under the pile of books on his table.

"None, if you don't want to. Just stay mad at everyone for the rest of your life," I said quietly. "It's simple, Moony. Just leave us behind. Find new friends."

Silence.

"You can't, can you? Because you know it won't be the same."

A book went sailing toward my head. "Did I _ask_ for your input?"


	50. Chapter 50

"Padfoot, I need to talk to you."

I sighed. "Make it quick."

"Not here. Follow me."

0o0o0

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can talk."

James walked up behind me. "I got him."

"Great," Azalia grumbled, walking faster. "He resisting?"

"Yes."

Azalia swore. "Sirius, wait for a moment. _Imperio,"_ she said, aiming at Remus.

"Azalia!"

"I need him for this."

"If this is your way of fulfilling your promise, stop!"

"Sirius, this is for your good. You'll thank me."

"Take the curse off!"

"We're almost there," she said. "But fine. Make sure he follows."

"How much farther, then?"

"Actually, we're here," she said, pacing in front of a wall three times. A door appeared. "Inside."

"What?"

"Go. Now."

"Is he released?"

"Yes. Now get in. Both of you."

I sighed, walking through the door, followed by Remus.

"So why are we here?" Remus asked.

"You're talking?" I yelped.

"Shocking, isn't it? I want to get out of here."

"I forgot how your voice sounds."

"Hilarious. It's only been four weeks."

"Four-" I swore. "Remus, we need to get out of here."

"No sh-" Realization dawned on his face. "Oh, God. You're right."

0o0o0

Two hours later, we were still locked in the room, with no way out. Our wands had been taken from us by Azalia, and if we weren't let out in the next half hour, Remus would have to transform in here.

"She's not going to let us out, is she?"

"Probably not," Remus agreed. "So, how've you been?"

"Lonely."

"How's the situation with your crush?"

"Well, they probably hate me now because I was a prick."

"I see. Can I guess?"

"Sure."

"Hufflepuff?"

"I have standards."

"Ravenclaw."

"Too smart for my liking."

"Slytherin?"

He gagged. "Pardon."

"So. She's in Gryffindor."

"Yes."

"Hair color?"

"It's like brownish-silverish-blondish. Absolutely perfect."

"I see. Eyes?"

"Like deep pools of frozen amber."

"She has bugs in her eyes?"

"No! Well, they used to be amber-colored. Now they're more forest green, y'know?"

"Height?"

"Medium, leaning toward tall."

He flopped down on the couch. "Is half an hour up? I just want to get through the transformation and be done with it."

"It's up."

"Great," he said. "Do I know the girl?"

"Yes." _A little hard not to know yourself._

"Tell her I said congratulations, then." He closed his eyes.

The full moon shined through the small in the ceiling, and Remus howled as the transformation took place.

I changed immediately. _Moony!_

 _Padfoot?_

 _Moony!_

 _Padfoot,_ Moony mused. _After not coming last month, you think you can just show up and everything's going to be okay?_

My tail migrated between my legs in shame. _Moony-_

He howled, leaping at me. I reared up to meet him, afraid he was going to try to kill me. Instead, he playfully knocked my legs out from under me, sprawling me out like some messed up carpet. _You're an idiot._

 _I am,_ I agreed weakly. _Does that bother you?_

 _Not much, no,_ he admitted, standing back as I struggled to my feet. _Why do you ask?_

I launched myself at him in response. _Because I'd hate to anger you by doing something that bothers you._

He sidestepped, grinning. _Gonna have to do better than that._

I rolled my eyes, creeping up behind him and jumping onto his back. He yelped, falling onto his back. I stood over him, pinning his limbs to the floor. _Surrender, Moony?_

His tongue lolled out of his mouth. _Make me._

I barked a laugh. _Want me to take you up on that?_ My legs pressed down onto his paws until he yelped.

 _No!_

 _No?_ I stepped off him. _Seems like you do._

He growled playfully. _You're much to eager to do it._

I circled him, keeping a careful eye on all movements. This continued for about an hour before we both collapsed from exhaustion and laughter.

Somewhat tired and unaware of his actions, Moony curled up next to me, one paw slung over my side. _Padfoot._

 _Moony,_ I replied sleepily, not bothering to shake his paw off.

0o0o0

"Sirius?" Remus asked the next morning, sitting up. "Where are we?"

"Same place as we were last night."

"I still need to guess who the girl is, don't I?"

"No need." I sat up by him.

"What?"

"Before I came in here, Azalia made me a promise. She said she'd help me get my crush if it was the last thing she did. Hopefully, it's not going to be the last thing she does in her life, but I'm thankful to her for everything she's done. I guess she locked me up in here without my wand- with you- because she knew that this would help me tell you who it is."

"Why did she have to lock us up in a closet so you'd tell me?"

"Because most people are against being gay," I muttered.

"What?"

"I _said,_ because most people are against being gay!"

"...What?"

I sighed, leaning over to delicately peck his cheek. "There is no girl." The door clicked open, and I stood up, turning to leave. "I understand if you hate me and never want me to talk to you again-"

"Well that would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?" he asked, walking over to kiss me fully.

I sighed. It was perfect.

He broke away. "So this is why Azalia wouldn't tell me."

I nodded, taking his hand and pulling him out of the room. "Come on. I think we have to thank her for this."


	51. Chapter 51

"Congratulations, you two," I said, rubbing the Skítrún on my wrist. "I guess Moony's talking to us again?"

Sirius reached over to mess up the werewolf's hair. "It took a bit of convincing, but yes. He's ready to talk."

"Thanks, Azalia," Remus said. "And... sorry about everything that's happened this past month."

"It's fine," I said. "I understand, I guess?"

Both of them smiled gratefully. "Also-"

"I need to go," I yelped, running off.

0o0o0

"Hey, 'Zal."

I jumped. "God, Remus! I thought I told you to stay out of my time!"

"Sorry, just seemed like you need some help right now. Based on the way you ran off in our Fifth year, y'know?" Sirius asked.

"Why are you here?"

"You're going to go on some rant about whether you should stay in school or work on your careers as an Auror, a Potioneer, a dragon tamer, a professor, and everything else you're going to want to do with your life. You're going to get mad at us for trying to help you make the right decision. You're going to-"

"How do you know all this?"

"Our Azalia told us. She also urged us to come here even though we'd promised to stay away."

"She also said to tell you to look for the hairy dragon, whatever that means."

"Tell her-"

"She also said that she'd be willing to meet you, even though it is against the laws of carrying a Time Turner."

"Christ," I grumbled.

"She thinks of everything."

"I do indeed," I said, walking toward the Merlin lab. "Now what do you two need?"

"Advice."

"On? I'm like three years younger than you!"

"And I very well can't ask _us,_ can I?" Sirius snapped.

"What do you need?"

"It's about parenthood."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know almost everything. You're probably going to go on to become an Unspeakable, for Merlin's sake! Prongs and Ev- excuse me, I mean _Potter,_ want your help- _you,_ not our Azalia- to help with parenting their kid."

"Explain?"

"Harry was born recently. So... we're twenty. Not eighteen. And Lily and James want your help with raising their son. Our Azalia already said no, so we were wondering if you would change your mind."

"Highly improbably and I'm not supposed to know what I'm going to do in the future."

"I apologize but you know how I am about helping James."

"No can do, Pads. Tell your Azalia I'll meet her tonight, on December 19th, at 9 in the Merlin lab."

"Sure. Our time's running out anyway." Remus waved, already fading.

0o0o0

"So. I'm you?"

Future me shrugged. "If you want to put it that way. More correctly, I'm you. You haven't been in my time, therefore, you aren't me."

"So I don't get less annoying?"

"'Fraid not, Azzy."

I hissed. "Don't call me that."

"You're going to... Unspeakable, right?"

"I'm not certain. What did you mean by hairy dragons?"

"Our former classmates Narcissa and Lucius?"

"Please tell me they're not-"

Future me nodded.

"Oh, _Christ."_

"They've named him Draco."

"Dragon."

"You get it now?"

"Harry. _Hairy._ Draco. _Dragon._ Harry Draco. Hairy Dragon."

"Bingo, 'Zal. My intelligence isn't lost on you."

"I _am_ you. How could it be lost?"

She ignored me. "The potion..."

"Which one?"

"Extended Felix."

"Not much success with it."

"I know. Have you tried adding additional proportions of ingredients?"

"Wouldn't that just increase the negative effects?"

"Calming draught, Azalia. Calming draught."

"Get out."

"I just wanted to tell you, your name will be Rebecca Baines. Your mother died giving birth, and your father disowned you for interest in muggles."

"What-"

She shrugged, waved, and faded away.

"DAMN YOU AND YOUR MYSTERIOUS SENTENCES GET BACK HERE!" I roared.


	52. Chapter 52

I sighed. It was going to be official. And about time too. I knew when I wasn't needed anymore.

Christmas had been quiet. We had decided not to slip Polyjuice to the professors, and Remus had gone home.

The day after Christmas, I started planning.

0o0o0

 _Dear Marauders,_ I started.  
 _It's been an amazing four and a half years by your side, pranking the school. We've had some amazing times, and nothing will ever replace you, wherever and whenever I am. I'm sorry for this sudden departure, but I don't have a use for Hogwarts anymore at the time being. Most of my dream careers don't require a full education, and I don't want to miss out.  
I guess this is goodbye, for the time being.  
Moony, best of luck with Pads and the transformation and your schedule and your Time Turner and everything else. It's been a hell of a ride and I'll probably miss you most of all because of what we've been through.  
Wormtail, there's not much I can say. You're more talented than you think. Keep trying, and you'll be fine. You became an _animagus, _for crying out loud!  
Padfoot, best of luck with Moony, mate. Take care of him, because if I find out you're being a stupid prick I'm coming back to kick your arse.  
Prongs, don't give up on Evans. She's not as repulsed by you as you think. You have a chance. Say hi to her when you get the chance. As with Pete, don't give up. You'll get her eventually.  
Yours,  
Lupa the Fifth Marauder_

I sighed, taking the letter and folding it up. "Take this to Remus Lupin," I instructed my owl. "Immediately."

Roman nodded, taking the note in his beak and flying off.

I returned to packing my stuff.


	53. Chapter 53

"WHAT?!" Sirius screeched. "JUST LIKE THAT?! THAT LITTLE-"

"Pads, calm down!" I tried.

"CALM DOWN?! BAINES JUST LEAVES WITHOUT A WORD OF WHEN SHE'LL BE BACK AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?!"

I glared at him. "Padfoot, there's something attached to the letter!"

"It's... it's a pass to the Restricted Section. For the rest of the year."

"She said... 'I hope it comes in handy. Prank hard, my friends." He looked at me. "What if we made a map?"

"A map? What of?"

"Hogwarts."

"Those already exist."

"No, no, I mean maps that would track anyone in the castle and tell the owner exactly where everyone is!"

"I don't know, Pads..."

"Moony."

I glanced at him. "Yes?"

"You're a brilliant man, don't get me wrong, but sometimes you can be _so annoying!_ This could be the greatest thing we ever create!"

"Ask James. If he says yes then sure."

"Picture it. The _Marauders' Map."_

I rolled my eyes. "I'm guessing you're not giving Lupa any credit?"

"Why should I?" He pointed to underneath the note. "P.S. I'm not much of a Marauder anymore, so don't include me in any of your pranks and accomplishments."

0o0o0

"I still don't understand why she had to go," Prongs grumbled.

"None of us do," I said quietly. "I think that's the point."

"Would McGonagall know?"

"Probably wouldn't care."

"The password to the Lab is Rebecca," I whispered. "Conrad said-"

"What?"

"In our first year. When Conrad came to visit. I told you he'd said something. He'd told me the password to the Lab is Rebecca, among other things like how you trust me more than Prongs. I didn't pay much attention to either, which explains why I was so surprised by your expression of love, but I think he was telling me that the current password is Rebecca!"

"How would _he_ know?" Sirius scowled.

"Didn't 'Snuffles' look shockingly like you?"

He paled. "And Conrad had your wand."

"This is bullcrap!" James exploded. "You're saying Conrad and Snuffles are time travelling versions of you?"

"It explains a lot..." I mused.

Peter crunched on chocolate.

My eyes narrowed. "Peter, is that _my chocolate-"_

Sirius grabbed my arm warningly. "Calm, Moony."

"I'm calm," I said. "Just pointing out that _that little rat stole my CHOCOLATE!"_

"We have more important things to worry about," Pete said, glancing at the wall fearfully. "Look."

 _Congratulations, Wolfstar. You have figured me out. Only a few more secrets._

"Azalia-"

 _Don't even try to get me to come back, Prongs. Even wh- okay, maybe then I'll come back. For a few days._

"What do you mean?"

 _No matter what I mean. Brilliant idea with the map, by the way, Padfoot. I'd check 'Tracking Enchantments' by Thomas Venator. If it's not in there then I'm of no help. Have fun slaving away over exams, you four. I'm off to Romania for a while. Talk to you in two years. Then again two years after that. Then I don't know when again. Have fun with your kids, Prongs._

"Kids...?"

 _Never mind. Obliviate?_

"Protego," I muttered.

 _Bye. Don't expect to hear from me for the next few years, I may place a call every so often but probably not. I'm going to be busy stocking up for the Ministry's potion stores. That's going to be fun._

"Have fun!" I said.

 _Thanks. You too. All of you._

Azalia's signature Celtic knot flashed brightly before disappearing.

Sirius laughed. "Dramatic."

"Just like our Azalia," I murmured.

0o0o0

"I miss her," Sirius sighed for the fourth time in five minutes. "It's weird not having her yelling at me to study."

"Guess I have to take that role on now," I said teasingly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Or not," he grumbled, pointing to a note in the book.

 _SIRIUS ORION BLACK I SWEAR TO GOD YOU BETTER STUDY WHILE I'M GONE!_

I chuckled. "Brilliant, Azalia."

 _Thanks?_

"Go piss off a dragon," I grumbled.

 _Rather not. Oh, by the way, if Father asks, tell him I chose Reg, Sirius?_

"Azalia?"

 _If I have to choose between him and the other blokes, he's the obvious choice besides you but you're gay. Besides, I already talked to him about the platonic level of the marriage and how it's only to satisfy our parents' nagging._

Sirius sighed. "Christ. So you're going to be my sister-in-law?"

 _Bugger off._


End file.
